Harley Franklin Goodwin

HEYBURN – Harley Franklin Goodwin, a 73-year-old resident of Heyburn, passed away Sunday, June 16, 2024, at Portneuf Medical Center in Pocatello.

Harley was born July 30, 1950, in Kansas City, Missouri. He was born to Harley Jess Goodwin and Laurabelle Cicilia Wetstein. He spent most of his young life on the Goodwin Egg Farm in Springdale, Idaho. Harley was the oldest boy among the five Goodwin children; Laura (Ken) Winters, Harley F. Goodwin, Irene Swanson, Jess (Brenda) Goodwin, and Clark (Cindy) Goodwin. He attended Burley High School from 1967 to 1969, where he lettered and graduated in the class of 1969.

After high school, he started his time with the United States Navy. He served for just about five years; four campaigns in the Vietnam War with a final rank of Boatswain’s Mate Third Class on the USS Constellation. He was wounded in the line of duty and Honorably Discharged in 1974. When he arrived back in Burley, he started working for Simplot’s, first as a warehouse laborer, then security officer and quality control and later as the head of security and operations manager for Gem Star Security. During that time, he was also a reserve police officer for the Minidoka County Sheriff’s Office and Paul City Police Department. After leaving Gem Star, he went on to work as a ditch rider for the Minidoka Irrigation District from 1996 to 2016. He served his community again by helping all the farmers on his route. He was an avid hunter and fisherman, with many friends and family members. Harley was married three times, before meeting his lifetime love, Robin Cole (neé Jamison).

Harley was a devout patriot in every aspect of his life. He was saved by the American Red Cross after his time in Vietnam and spent his life donating blood regularly. He donated over 14 gallons throughout his lifetime. He was the commander of the local chapter, Chapter #10, of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) for decades. He started his true life’s passion, veteran’s causes. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Mini-Cassia Veterans, and Burley American Legion; he would drive the Veteran’s Float for the 4th of July parade every year. After he retired from MID, he spent his time serving his country by providing Veteran funeral rights across the Mini-Cassia area. He was infamous for his reading of “The Flag” poem.

Harley is survived by his son, Jerry (Tisha) Goodwin; and his grandchildren, Christain (Elisabeth) Goodwin and McKinzee (Maxwell) Naftel. He has one great-grandchild, Ewan Harley Goodwin. He had a long-term girlfriend, Robin Cole; as well as her children, Todd (Connie) and Jeremy (Mildred) Cole; and her grandchildren, Bryce, Coner, and Janezza Cole. He was preceded by his parents, Harley Jess Goodwin and Laurabelle Goodwin; and his sister, Irene Swanson.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 6, at Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home, located at 1350 E. 16th Street, in Burley. Military rites will be provided by the Mini-Cassia Veterans Group.

A live webcast of the Funeral Service will be available and maintained at the following link: https://youtu.be/zPXxuK8Ggpc.