Philanthropist Wilford Woodruff Goodwill passed away Aug. 19 after spending a lifetime building his own businesses and supporting the U College of Social Work.
Goodwill, who was born Nov. 16, 1917, was a successful entrepreneur and loving grandfather, said U sociology professor William Farley, director of the W. D. Goodwill Initiatives on Aging.
“Wilford was a great man” Farley said. “Ten years ago he established Neighbors Helping Neighbors in hopes (of) reaching out to the aging.”
Goodwill and Farley established NHN to provide mental counseling and help improve the quality of life for seniors.
“Wilford paid out of his own pocket,” Farley said. “(As part of NHN, Wilford and I would) paint houses, replace furnaces and set up houses for the spring and summer.”
NHN brings together graduate students from the College of Social Work and community volunteers who want to help.
“In all, about 600 people have been kept in quality support because of Wilford’s generosity,” Farley said.
Goodwill’s philanthropy was a product of his success in business, said Ryan Engar, Goodwill’s grandson and NHN program director.
Goodwill helped establish the tourism company Beehive Travel in 1960. After 25 years in the travel business, Goodwill decided to get into real-estate development and helped establish areas such as the Woodcreek Plaza. He also invested in A&W Restaurant Inc.
Engar said his grandfather traveled a lot during his lifetime.. Goodwill traveled to Egypt, Russia and backpacked the ruins of Machu Picchu.
He also said that his grandfather was often found wearing a weathered tool belt and work slacks with all the necessary tools.
“He could generally be found working on his properties or helping someone else on theirs,” Engar said.
Jannah Mather, dean of the College of Social Work, said Goodwill helped the college in a number of ways, including funding for a new humanitarian building and student scholarships.
“Wilford was a gifted individual…(he was) intelligent and generous,” she said. “He raised many social welfare issues.”
Goodwill and his wife, Dorothy, established the Goodwill Family Foundation, which helps fund NHN and student scholarships for individuals studying issues that affect the elderly.
Wilford also established the W. D. Goodwill Initiatives on Aging and NHN in 1997, which allowed many senior citizens to stay in their personal homes rather than move to nursing homes.
The College of Social Work decided to name the new humanitarian building the Wilford W. and Dorothy P. Goodwill Humanitarian Building because of Goodwill’s continued generosity and support.
The building will be dedicated Sept. 17 from noon to 2 p.m. on the patio between the original College of Social Work building and the new humanitarian building.
The new building will be used to further research involving the care of the elderly.
Wilford Goodwill