James Edward Good, II

Mystic - James Edward "Jim" Good II passed away June 11, 2022. Born in Melrose, Mass., Nov. 16, 1933, Jim lived his life with great wonder for the world around him, an instinct toward service, and a huge appreciation for good fun in all of its forms. He was educated at Hebron Academy and Amherst College where he majored in history, played hockey and was a member of Phi Delta Theta. He earned a Master of Business Administration from Boston College and a Master of Science from Suffolk University.

Jim served four years in the United States Air Force, earning The Air Force Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service for a particularly harrowing flight where he assisted in landing his B-47 safely in a strange field, sparing three lives aboard, as well as the aircraft. Jim flew 951 hours in the four years and four months of his service prior to being honorably discharged as a Captain in 1960.

His profession was training and development for companies like New England Life, Friendly's and Hasbro, though he pursued many of his life's passions outside of the office. He was particularly interested in enjoying the great outdoors, birdwatching, kayaking, sailing, and hiking. He solo-climbed all 48 of the 4,000-foot peaks in New Hampshire and was active in Boy Scouts of America, proudly serving as scoutmaster for his son's troop.

Marrying his love for travel with his belief in service, Jim participated in thirty-three service programs around the world over all seven continents. These trips included seven for Habitat for Humanity, helping to build sixteen homes in countries like Haiti, New Zealand, Zambia and Portugal.

Jim also had a great interest in history, carefully researching his family's genealogy over several trips to Upper Peninsula of Michigan, New Brunswick, Canada and throughout Ireland. He tromped all over South County, Rhode Island, locating and cataloguing historic graveyards, which he compiled into a book Exeter, Rhode Island Historical Cemeteries (1994), which he co-authored with friend John Sterling and most strangely, was overlooked by the Pulitzer committee that year.

Jim was an incredibly accomplished cook, often seen with a dish towel rakishly thrown over his shoulder, while making one of his many specialties, like fluffy omelette, pancakes, and stir fry dishes of all kinds. He also made, it should be noted, a giant mess in the kitchen along with his culinary delights. Throughout Jim and Donna's cookbooks are many enthusiastic notes on what the occasion was, who joined for dinner and what Jim suggested tweaking to perfect the recipe on the page. Often, to stay at the Goods meant to enjoy a decadent breakfast in bed made by Jim, probably served with a song slightly earlier than you intended to rise. Jim made thirteen two-week trips to volunteer as chef at the Mount Washington Observatory, preparing meals for the volunteers in a place he dearly loved.

After moving to Mystic, Jim happily volunteered at Mystic Seaport Museum, most notably working on the restoration of the schooner Brilliant, voyaging overnight on the boat when the project was completed.

Jim married Donna Lou Dabareiner in November 1962, celebrating nearly 60 years of marriage and the art of compromise. He is survived by his wife and two children, Brian Pierce and Allison Douglas. As a father and husband, his priority was sharing how much he loved his family and would reiterate that often both verbally and through his actions. Jim was an incredibly loyal friend, maintaining close friendships with his life-long best pals, Bernie Carpenter, Robert Jenney, Fred Wallace, Leo Ryan and Bobby Wells over eighty years, sharing many laughs, inside jokes, and memories that range from kindergarten through their golden years.

A celebration of Jim's life and moxie will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 23, 2022, at Wellesley Village Church, 2 Central Street, Wellesley, MA. Donations to honor Jim's memory can be made to Habitat for Humanity or Mystic Seaport Museum.

Published by The Day on Jun. 21, 2022.

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