“Reflections” with Bob Godley
byTom Hackler
Bob resides at Trinity Grove and is visited most days by his wonderful daughter, Julie, with occasional visits by others. I’ve had this idea of connecting our greatest generation with our parish and sharing their stories for some time. I stopped by to see Bob. One of Bob’s earliest memories took place in Wrightsville Beach in 1942 when he was 6 years old. Bob witnessed WWII firsthand as a child. He and his dad could see ships on fire from German torpedoes. There were prison camps in Wilmington where foreign prisoners were housed during the war. Shell island was a target range. Airplane pilots practiced dropping bombs. A serious time in our history. America’s freedom at stake. How we forget. Bob says, “there is so much that people today don’t know or have forgotten about war.” Memories worth sharing.
Bob was born in Wilmington, Delaware in 1936. The family moved to Wilmington, NC. Like so many of his peers, he met his sweetheart, Julie, in high school. She went to Duke; he went to NC State. Her dad worked at the shipyard and owned a tire store. Bob studied Industrial Engineering. They were married for almost 46 years. Bob began his career in Akron, Ohio with Babcock & Wilcox. He then started a long career with DuPont, living in Kinston, NC, then Wilmington, Delaware and finally moving back to Wilmington, NC in 1969, working for almost 33 years with DuPont.
Bob has been a life-long member of St. James Parish. He was appointed as the Chairman of the Mt. Lebanon Chapel committee and led the committee for about 20 years. Organizing up to 32 volunteers to cut debris, mow the lawns, and add new plants to the grounds. The grounds have grown from an overgrown field to a beautiful well-maintained landscape, providing quiet peace to all who visit. Bob was personally motivated as a boy in this kind of activity as he took a great interest in watching his grandmother's garden. He subsequently became a master gardener when he retired. With the addition of the new memorial garden and restrooms a few years ago, lawn service professionals now maintain the grounds.
I asked Bob about his greatest joys in life. There was a long pause as he thoughtfully considered his reply. “Family first” was his reply; he and his wife raising their children, son Baird, and daughter Julie. Working, going to church, coaching youth basketball at the YMCA. Teaching the values of sportsmanship. There was a twinkle in his eye as he shared that his grandson McLean became the
youngest person ever elected to City Council in Greenville, NC at age 23. He has since gone on to earn his MBA. Final thoughts: Bob has never known a stranger. Take time to get to know somebody new. Always show love and kindness to others. Set your goals high and feel you can achieve what you want. Grace abounds in the quiet, steady, God-centered life.
(If you thought this war story was interesting, suggest listening to the 13-part podcast series, “The Cold War, Prelude to the Present” by Bill Whittle)