Marian Goodrick

A visitation for Marian Opal Goodrick, 97, Lecompton, will be from 4:30-6:30 pm, Friday, January 22, 2021, at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home. She will lie in state from noon to 8 pm. Private family services will happen later.

She passed away at her home in Lecompton, Kansas. She was born in Lecompton on August 29, 1923 to Marion Thomas Lasswell and Evaline Browning Busch Lasswell and was a life-long resident of Lecompton except for five years in California from 1959-1963

Opal attended Lecompton Elementary school and graduated from Lecompton Rural High School in 1941. Following attending Strickler's Business College in Topeka she was employed at Kansas Capital Federal Savings & Loan League in Topeka. A year later she began working for Kansas Electric Power Co. a forerunner of Kansas Power and Light Company in Lawrence, retiring as executive secretary for Rensler W. McClure prior to her marriage to Lewis Alonzo Goodrick on December 25, 1947.

Marian, as she was known in the Goodrick Family, and "Lewie" set up housekeeping in Lecompton and their oldest three sons (Robert Lewis, Steven Dale, Jeffery Lynn) were born in Kansas. In 1959, the family moved to Tehachapi, CA where youngest son, (Michael Thomas "Tom") was born. They returned to Lecompton in 1963.

She was a member of Lecompton United Methodist Church, a Life Member of the Lecompton Historical Society. She joined the Lecompton Rebeka Lodge No. 698 and held all chairs and was Noble Grand several times. She belonged to the Lecompton Sunshine Club for over 50 years and the Pamida Club in Lecompton.

Opal was a homemaker and community activist and supporter while raising four sons. She served as one of the curators for the Territorial Capital Museum for years, helping wherever needed, cataloguing, searching for grants, donating funds and artifacts. Many of the existing exhibits were designed and built by those original curators.

She helped "Lewis" in their restaurants in Lawrence: Duck's Tavern; and later Happy Hals Steakhouse for 18 years.

Her hobbies were sewing and writing poems. One of her poems commemorating Lecompton's "Constitution Hall" was read before the Kansas House and Means Committee on March 3, 1985 and was instrumental in the Legislative decision to add Constitution Hall to the State Historic Properties list. She also wrote a poem for the Lecompton United Methodist Church's Anniversary celebration.

Her husband, Lewis, died December 20, 1999. Her parents; stepdaughter, Dorothy (Dottie) Olson; three sisters: Edna G. Bahnmaier, Elsie May Emken, Mary Nelle Lasswell; and great granddaughter, Leah Linhardt preceded her.

She is survived by sons: Robert L. (Marian) Goodrick, Olathe, Ks; Stephen D. (Norma) Goodrick, Round Rock, TX; Jeffrey L. (Doree) Goodrick, Lecompton, KS; Michael "Tom" Goodrick, Lecompton, KS.; 19 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; daughter-in-law, Trecia Goodrick, Lawrence, Ks and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family suggests memorials to Lecompton Historical Society, Box 68, Lecompton, KS 66050; Lecompton United Methodist Church, Box 91, Lecompton, 66050 or St. Jude's Hospital for Children.

Online condolences made at rumsey-yost.com