PROVIDENCE — Father Owen F. Goodwin, 86, a priest for 61 years, died on Friday, February 6, at the Philip Hulitar Hospice Center in Providence. He was a member of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
Father Goodwin was born in Providence, a son of the late Owen F. and Annie (Farrelly) Goodwin. He graduated from Blessed Sacrament School class of 1944 and La Salle Academy class of 1947. In preparation for the priesthood, he entered the Novitiate of the Congregation at Fairhaven, Mass. He studied in the seminaries in Wareham, Mass., Washington D.C., and Our Lady Queen of Peace Seminary, Jaffrey, N.H., where he was ordained on September 21, 1954 by the late Most Reverend Matthew F. Brady, D.D. Bishop of Manchester, N.H. He celebrated his first Mass in the Church of the Blessed Sacrament, his childhood parish and appropriately to where he will return for his Mass of Christian Burial.
During his priestly years, he served his church and community in many capacities; first, as a vocational director in Ireland for eight years before returning to the Northeast U.S. and continued in that position for the next ten years. With the permission of his Provincial, he entered the Chaplaincy Services of the Federal Veterans Hospitals, Palo Alto, C.A., Pittsburgh, P.A. and the Providence Veterans Medical Center. He retired after fifteen years of V.A. Hospital Service. Although retired, he continued to serve the Diocese of Providence. Bishop Louis E. Gelineau, D.D., appointed him to be the Chaplain of the De La Salle Christian Brothers Community in Narragansett and at the same time Father said many of the Catholic Committal Prayers at the R.I. Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Exeter. He also assisted at many South County parishes.
He was a 3rd degree member of the K of C since 1964. He was the chaplain of St. Francis Council K of C # 2011, North Kingstown, from 1996 2006. He was also the chaplain of the A.O.H. The late Providence Fire Chief Michael F. Moise appointed Father as Chaplain for the Providence Fire Department.
Along with his beloved priestly community, he is survived by four sisters, Jane A Goodwin and Ann F. Masse, both of Warwick, Ellen M. Myers of Providence, and Catherine M. Murphy of East Greenwich and a brother, Thomas N. Goodwin, of North Providence. He was the brother of the late Mary U. Sweeney, Edward J., Peter K., and Ellen Goodwin.
A concelebrated Mass of Christian Burial is scheduled for Thursday, February 12, in the Church of the Blessed Sacrament, Providence followed by burial in Saint Ann Cemetery, Cranston.
