Obituary of Ernest Godshalk

"Ernie" Lukens Godshalk, Jr., 91, passed away Thursday, July 16, 2009 at Waters Edge in Sandhill Cove, Palm City, FL with his devoted wife Trudy by his side.

Ernie was born in Charleston, SC on January 2, 1918. His mother died from tuberculosis when Ernie was only three years old and he was raised by his paternal grandparents on a farm in Kulpsville, PA. His education through the tenth grade was in a four-room schoolhouse. After graduating from Lansdale High School, Lansdale, PA he moved in with his father and stepmother and graduated from the College of Charleston in Charleston, SC.

In 1940 he entered Harvard Law School, and in 1942 he married Gertrude "Trudy" Wright Perkins. His education was interrupted when he was inducted into the army, where he proudly served our country for four and one half years and was promoted to the rank of major. Following WW II, he resumed his education and received a Juris Doctorate degree.

Ernie began his professional career in New York City, first at Sullivan and Cromwell Law Firm and then with the Pan American Petroleum and Transport Company. He moved to Chicago, IL where he worked for Standard Oil Company of Indiana, later Amoco (now BP), and eventually retired, after 28 years, as Associate General Counsel.

He was introduced to sailing by Trudy in 1955 and developed an avid love of the sport. With his wife as crew, his first sailboat was an 18' Rhodes in Mamaroneck harbor. Ernie later raced Flying Scot one design sailboats out of the Wilmette, IL harbor and won the Midwest Flying Scot Regatta. He served as president of the National Flying Scot Association.

Ernie and Trudy retired to Stuart, Fl in 1977 where they pursued their dreams in a 36' sailboat, "Sirenia," followed by a larger sailboat and a power boat of the same name. He was a member of The Cruising Club of America for 23 years, serving that organization as the Rear Commodore of the Florida Station. He was a member of the Crossroads and Corinthian Yacht Clubs in Stuart and sailed extensively along the Atlantic seaboard and Caribbean, in Europe and in the South Pacific. They enjoyed many travel adventures by both land and sea which took them to Africa, Asia, Central and South America, the Middle East and Antartica.

Ernie's other passion was golf, which he played regularly as a member of The Yacht and Country Club of Stuart for over 30 years, and he also provided legal advice to the Club for 15 years. Ernie served as president of the Mariner Cay Home Owners Association in Stuart and attended St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Port Salerno.

He is survived by his loving wife of 66 years, Trudy, his son Ernest Godshalk, III and wife Christina of Boston, MA, son Robert Godshalk and wife Vicki McGrath of Gainesville, FL, and his daughter Cynthia Godshalk and husband James Douglass of Cary, NC, along with grandchildren Dirk Godshalk, Sirie Godshalk, Britta Godshalk, and Shawn Brightman.

The family would like to thank the staff at Waters Edge, Palm City, FL and the multiple aides supplied by Life Care who provided dedicated care for several years as his health declined.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 am Saturday, August 8, 2009 at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 5150 SE Railway Ave., Port Salerno, FL (at the northwest corner of Cove Rd. and Route A1A). A memorial celebration will be held at 4:00 pm Saturday, November 21, 2009 at Sandhill Cove, Palm City, FL.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Boys and Girls Club of Martin County, P.O. Box 910, Hobe Sound, FL 33475

Arrangements by Forest Hills Funeral Home Palm City Chapel, 2001 SW Murphy Rd, Palm City, FL 34990, (772) 287-8484.