Theda Mae Goodrich

Theda Mae (Barnes) Goodrich, 94, of Rensselaer, passed away September 30, 2025, at Rensselaer Care Center.

She was born on June 26, 1931, in Fithian, IL, to Leland and Pauline (Middleton) Barnes. She graduated from Covington High School and then worked in Danville, IL, for a few years before meeting the love of her life, Jack Verlon Goodrich, at a street carnival in Covington. After only five dates Jack proposed. They decided to get married on November 3, 1951, at the home of the local Justice of the Peace, who happened to be the father of Theda’s friend who introduced them. A November blizzard prevented them from leaving Covington and their first night as husband and wife was spent in the home of the Justice who married them.

Jacks work in the oil field sent them to Oklahoma, where they settled down for 19 years and started to raise their family. They eventually made their way to back to Covington where they ran the Oak Grove Motel, and Theda worked at the VA. Nine years later the oilfields of Texas called Jack, and they made their way to Abilene where they lived until the time of Jacks death in August of 2009. After Jack passed, Theda stayed in Abilene for a few years, moving back to Indiana to be near family in 2014.

She is survived by children: Gail (Bob) Brenneman and Bruce Goodrich; 9 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren (with another on the way); sister Charlotte (Jerry) Crain; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jack; son, Jackie; daughter-in-law, Trina Goodrich; siblings; Beatrice (Paul) Hussman, Betty (Harry) Hogland, Bobby (Carolyn) Barnes, and Barbara (Arley) White; and nephews Scott Barnes and Alan White.

In lieu of flowers and plants, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.