Violet Pearl Goodman of Bloomington died Friday, May 13, 2005, at her residence. She was 79.
Born September 15, 1925, in Poland, Indiana, she was the daughter of Charles and Ena (Michaels) Webb.
She graduated from Ellettsville High School in 1943. She worked at RCA during WWII, and later she owned and operated Wayne Feed Store for 12 years. She was a member of St. John the Apostle Catholic Church. She was a mother to all she met.
She was married to Bernard "Bernie" Goodman.
She was preceded in death by her parents; one son, Phillip Maurice Goodman; one daughter, Martha Jane Goodman; five brothers, two sisters, and one grandson, Eddie Fike.
The interment will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
For tree farmers, it's about the Christmas spirit, December 1, 2001
For tree farmer Bernie Goodman, the business of selling Christmas trees is more about the holiday than the money. Bernie and his wife, Violet, have sold trees from their 12-acre farm at 1690 W. Williams Road in northwest Monroe County every December since 1963. Their price policy is simple. "We charge $2 per foot," Bernie said. "I have stuck in the yard marked by the foot so folks can measure their own trees." Along with cut-rate prices, the Goodman's also offer a return policy. "A few years ago, a man bought a tree and asked if he could return it if his wife didn't care for it," said Violet, "and we agreed." As expected, the wife disliked the tree and came back with her husband to select a better one. "We left her alone," Violet said, laughing, "and she wandered around until she found the perfect tree. She never knew it, but she'd picked out the same tree her husband brought back. The man asked me to keep the secret, and I've never told anyone until now." Low prices and an easy return policy set Goodman's tree lot apart from most others, but it's unique in one other way. "If someone can't afford to spend $2 a foot for a tree, we just give it to them," Bernie admitted. "That's the best part of the business," Violet said. "If I see an old car pull up filled with little kids and I can tell buying a tree is going to deprive those kids of something else, I let them pick their favorite tree and then just give it to them." But the Christmas spirit works both ways. The Goodman's have 11 children, and Violet was always happy when grateful customers returned a few days later to give her a fresh baked pie or a loaf of warm homemade bread. Over the years, Bernie has noticed a trait among tree shoppers. Those with the smallest cars buy the biggest trees. After nearly four decades in the business, he's learned to adapt. "I can tie a tree onto anything that moves," he said, "even a Volkswagen Beetle." After selling up to 500 trees in a good year, Bernie and Violet are closing their tree farm in January. "It's just getting too hard to plant new trees each year," said Bernie, now 76. "And it's not easy to feel the holiday spirit when you're trimming the trees on a hot July day and getting stung by wasps." Between now and Christmas, he has only one message for his final customers. "If they can't afford to pay $2 a foot, they can have a tree for free."
Born September 15, 1925, in Poland, Indiana, she was the daughter of Charles and Ena (Michaels) Webb.
She graduated from Ellettsville High School in 1943. She worked at RCA during WWII, and later she owned and operated Wayne Feed Store for 12 years. She was a member of St. John the Apostle Catholic Church. She was a mother to all she met.
She was married to Bernard "Bernie" Goodman.
She was preceded in death by her parents; one son, Phillip Maurice Goodman; one daughter, Martha Jane Goodman; five brothers, two sisters, and one grandson, Eddie Fike.
The interment will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
For tree farmers, it's about the Christmas spirit, December 1, 2001
For tree farmer Bernie Goodman, the business of selling Christmas trees is more about the holiday than the money. Bernie and his wife, Violet, have sold trees from their 12-acre farm at 1690 W. Williams Road in northwest Monroe County every December since 1963. Their price policy is simple. "We charge $2 per foot," Bernie said. "I have stuck in the yard marked by the foot so folks can measure their own trees." Along with cut-rate prices, the Goodman's also offer a return policy. "A few years ago, a man bought a tree and asked if he could return it if his wife didn't care for it," said Violet, "and we agreed." As expected, the wife disliked the tree and came back with her husband to select a better one. "We left her alone," Violet said, laughing, "and she wandered around until she found the perfect tree. She never knew it, but she'd picked out the same tree her husband brought back. The man asked me to keep the secret, and I've never told anyone until now." Low prices and an easy return policy set Goodman's tree lot apart from most others, but it's unique in one other way. "If someone can't afford to spend $2 a foot for a tree, we just give it to them," Bernie admitted. "That's the best part of the business," Violet said. "If I see an old car pull up filled with little kids and I can tell buying a tree is going to deprive those kids of something else, I let them pick their favorite tree and then just give it to them." But the Christmas spirit works both ways. The Goodman's have 11 children, and Violet was always happy when grateful customers returned a few days later to give her a fresh baked pie or a loaf of warm homemade bread. Over the years, Bernie has noticed a trait among tree shoppers. Those with the smallest cars buy the biggest trees. After nearly four decades in the business, he's learned to adapt. "I can tie a tree onto anything that moves," he said, "even a Volkswagen Beetle." After selling up to 500 trees in a good year, Bernie and Violet are closing their tree farm in January. "It's just getting too hard to plant new trees each year," said Bernie, now 76. "And it's not easy to feel the holiday spirit when you're trimming the trees on a hot July day and getting stung by wasps." Between now and Christmas, he has only one message for his final customers. "If they can't afford to pay $2 a foot, they can have a tree for free."
Violet Pearl Goodman of Bloomington died Friday, May 13, 2005, at her residence. She was 79.
Born September 15, 1925, in Poland, Indiana, she was the daughter of Charles and Ena (Michaels) Webb.
She graduated from Ellettsville High School in 1943. She worked at RCA during WWII, and later she owned and operated Wayne Feed Store for 12 years. She was a member of St. John the Apostle Catholic Church. She was a mother to all she met.
She was married to Bernard "Bernie" Goodman.
She was preceded in death by her parents; one son, Phillip Maurice Goodman; one daughter, Martha Jane Goodman; five brothers, two sisters, and one grandson, Eddie Fike.
The interment will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
For tree farmers, it's about the Christmas spirit, December 1, 2001
For tree farmer Bernie Goodman, the business of selling Christmas trees is more about the holiday than the money. Bernie and his wife, Violet, have sold trees from their 12-acre farm at 1690 W. Williams Road in northwest Monroe County every December since 1963. Their price policy is simple. "We charge $2 per foot," Bernie said. "I have stuck in the yard marked by the foot so folks can measure their own trees." Along with cut-rate prices, the Goodman's also offer a return policy. "A few years ago, a man bought a tree and asked if he could return it if his wife didn't care for it," said Violet, "and we agreed." As expected, the wife disliked the tree and came back with her husband to select a better one. "We left her alone," Violet said, laughing, "and she wandered around until she found the perfect tree. She never knew it, but she'd picked out the same tree her husband brought back. The man asked me to keep the secret, and I've never told anyone until now." Low prices and an easy return policy set Goodman's tree lot apart from most others, but it's unique in one other way. "If someone can't afford to spend $2 a foot for a tree, we just give it to them," Bernie admitted. "That's the best part of the business," Violet said. "If I see an old car pull up filled with little kids and I can tell buying a tree is going to deprive those kids of something else, I let them pick their favorite tree and then just give it to them." But the Christmas spirit works both ways. The Goodman's have 11 children, and Violet was always happy when grateful customers returned a few days later to give her a fresh baked pie or a loaf of warm homemade bread. Over the years, Bernie has noticed a trait among tree shoppers. Those with the smallest cars buy the biggest trees. After nearly four decades in the business, he's learned to adapt. "I can tie a tree onto anything that moves," he said, "even a Volkswagen Beetle." After selling up to 500 trees in a good year, Bernie and Violet are closing their tree farm in January. "It's just getting too hard to plant new trees each year," said Bernie, now 76. "And it's not easy to feel the holiday spirit when you're trimming the trees on a hot July day and getting stung by wasps." Between now and Christmas, he has only one message for his final customers. "If they can't afford to pay $2 a foot, they can have a tree for free."
Born September 15, 1925, in Poland, Indiana, she was the daughter of Charles and Ena (Michaels) Webb.
She graduated from Ellettsville High School in 1943. She worked at RCA during WWII, and later she owned and operated Wayne Feed Store for 12 years. She was a member of St. John the Apostle Catholic Church. She was a mother to all she met.
She was married to Bernard "Bernie" Goodman.
She was preceded in death by her parents; one son, Phillip Maurice Goodman; one daughter, Martha Jane Goodman; five brothers, two sisters, and one grandson, Eddie Fike.
The interment will be in Valhalla Memory Gardens.
For tree farmers, it's about the Christmas spirit, December 1, 2001
For tree farmer Bernie Goodman, the business of selling Christmas trees is more about the holiday than the money. Bernie and his wife, Violet, have sold trees from their 12-acre farm at 1690 W. Williams Road in northwest Monroe County every December since 1963. Their price policy is simple. "We charge $2 per foot," Bernie said. "I have stuck in the yard marked by the foot so folks can measure their own trees." Along with cut-rate prices, the Goodman's also offer a return policy. "A few years ago, a man bought a tree and asked if he could return it if his wife didn't care for it," said Violet, "and we agreed." As expected, the wife disliked the tree and came back with her husband to select a better one. "We left her alone," Violet said, laughing, "and she wandered around until she found the perfect tree. She never knew it, but she'd picked out the same tree her husband brought back. The man asked me to keep the secret, and I've never told anyone until now." Low prices and an easy return policy set Goodman's tree lot apart from most others, but it's unique in one other way. "If someone can't afford to spend $2 a foot for a tree, we just give it to them," Bernie admitted. "That's the best part of the business," Violet said. "If I see an old car pull up filled with little kids and I can tell buying a tree is going to deprive those kids of something else, I let them pick their favorite tree and then just give it to them." But the Christmas spirit works both ways. The Goodman's have 11 children, and Violet was always happy when grateful customers returned a few days later to give her a fresh baked pie or a loaf of warm homemade bread. Over the years, Bernie has noticed a trait among tree shoppers. Those with the smallest cars buy the biggest trees. After nearly four decades in the business, he's learned to adapt. "I can tie a tree onto anything that moves," he said, "even a Volkswagen Beetle." After selling up to 500 trees in a good year, Bernie and Violet are closing their tree farm in January. "It's just getting too hard to plant new trees each year," said Bernie, now 76. "And it's not easy to feel the holiday spirit when you're trimming the trees on a hot July day and getting stung by wasps." Between now and Christmas, he has only one message for his final customers. "If they can't afford to pay $2 a foot, they can have a tree for free."
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