Rev. John William Goforth

Rev. John William Goforth, 81, of 20 Church Road, Fairview, died Thursday, April 21, 2004, at Asheville Health Care. A native of Buncombe County, he was a son of the late Hezekiah and Ida Bradburn Goforth. He was also preceded in death by a son, Sgt. John Z. Goforth, a brother, Frank Goforth, two sisters, Eva Polvorosa and Marie Wright and a precious sister-in-law, Eva Radford. A veteran of WWII, he served in the European Theater and was a recipient of five campaign medals, a Purple Heart and two Oak Clusters. He retired from the Asheville VA Medical Center in 1979 with 32 years of employment. During those years he served as President of Local #446 - AFGE 4th district for 11 years. Rev. Goforth’s pastorship for 32 years was in Buncombe, Macon and Madison Counties and included evangelistic work. He and his wife Mary did volunteer work for the US Forest Service, Wayah District, in Macon County. For eight years they served as host for Standing Indian Campground. A loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, he is survived by his wife of 62 years, Mary Thorpe Goforth; a son, David Goforth and his wife Dianna of Galliton, TN; a daughter, Patricia Goforth and husband Fred of Asheville; a sister, Edith Whitaker of Fairview; ten grandchildren, Brian Goforth and wife Debbie of Brevard, Denise Goforth of Hendersonville, James Kehler and wife Jena of Jacksonville, FL, Ann Wilson and husband Kenny of Nashville, TN, Dewayne Wilde and Michael Wilde of Marshall, Greg Goforth of Charlotte, James Goforth and wife Gena, Cindy Freeman and Mary Goforth all of Raleigh, MS; sixteen great-grandchildren, Kristen, Austin, Michael Lee, Christopher, Shasta, John, Kenny, Joey, Jacob, Jordan and six great-grandchildren in Mississippi. Funeral services will be 3:00 pm Sunday at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church with the Revs. Wade Huntly and Jim Whitted officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. His family will receive friends from 7:00-8:30 pm Saturday at Groce Funeral Home on Patton Avenue. At other times the family will be at his home, 20 Church Road, Fairview. He was greatly loved and will be missed by those who knew him.