Terry Goodman

On Sunday, December 27th, Terry Grant Goodman, 73, passed away peacefully at his home. He fought a courageous, ten month battle with stage four pancreatic cancer.

Terry was born May 4, 1947 in Moberly, Missouri. He attended Center Senior High School in Kansas City, Missouri. In 1969, Terry graduated from the University of Missouri - Kansas City with a Bachelor of Arts in Education. During college, Terry married the love of his life, Frances Winkeler. On August 31, 2020, they celebrated 52 years of marriage.

For a few short years after his graduation from UMKC, Terry sold insurance for Kansas City Life Insurance Company. In 1972, Terry left Kansas City Life and began a lifelong career in real estate and mortgage banking. He sold real estate for Kroh Brothers; was managing broker for Ed Patton Realtors; was a managing broker for several locations of Eugene D. Brown Realtors; and at one time, had his own ERA real estate franchise. In 1981, Terry left real estate and began his career in the mortgage banking industry at the Charles F. Curry Company. He worked for Leader Federal Mortgage; FirsTier Mortgage; owned his own mortgage company, Charter Mortgage Corporation; was Vice President and Regional Lending Manager for First Federal Bank; and finished his career with the Bank of Blue Valley. In 1988, Terry was the second person to receive the Johnson County Board of Realtors Affiliate Member of the Year Award. He received the award for being active in committee work and teaching financing classes to Board members.

Terry was a member of the Overland Park Planning Commission from June of 1994 until April of 2001. In April of 2001, he was elected to the Overland Park City Council to represent Ward 4, and he was reelected in 2005, 2009 and 2013. While on the City Council, Terry served as Council President in 2006; Vice-Chairman of the Public Safety Committee; and Chair of the Finance Administration and Economic Development Committee in 2008 and from 2012 to 2017. During Terry’s time on the City Council, he also served as President of the Overland Park Development Corporation from 2005 to 2017; he served on the Land Bank Board of Trustees from 2009 to 2017; and the Boards of the Overland Park Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Overland Park Economic Development Council.

In 2017, when Terry left the Overland City Council, he was recognized for being a “strong advocate for maintaining public infrastructure; a champion of public safety and fire service; and an advocate for smart economic development.” At Terry’s final City Council meeting, he thanked the constituents who had elected him to serve four terms on the Council. He stated it had been the highest honor and the highest privilege of his life, and he was deeply indebted to those who supported him over the years. In addition to Terry’s constituents, Terry valued the many wonderful friendships he made while being on the Planning Commission and City Council. Terry truly believed Overland Park’s employees and staff were first class, exceptional people.

Terry’s contribution to service wasn’t limited to the City of Overland Park. For decades, Terry belonged to the Overland Park Rotary Club, once serving as the club president. He was recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow, and he also served on the Board of Directors for the Overland Park Rotary Foundation Board.

Terry was appointed to serve on the Johnson County Library Board in April 2000. He served on the Board until April 2008; serving two terms as its Chairman. In January 2006, on behalf of the Johnson County Library, Terry traveled to the White House where Laura Bush presented the library with the 2005 National Award for Museum and Library Science. The award is the nation’s highest honor for extraordinary public service provided by a library or museum.

In April 1985, Terry became a member of Overland Park Masonic Lodge #436. In September 1985, he was raised to the degree of Master Mason. Shortly thereafter, in November 1985, he became a member of the Abdallah Shriners.

At one time, Terry served on the Board of the Volunteer Center of Johnson County.

Terry was preceded in death by his father, Benjamin Goodman; his mother, Hazel Preston; his brother, Timothy Goodman; his grandmother, Bertha Winkler; and his aunt, Thelma Dye.

Terry is survived by his wife, Frances; two daughters, Kristi Goodman and Amy Goodman-Long, both of Overland Park, Kansas; grandson, Tyler Long, Overland Park, Kansas; Tyler’s dad, Kent Long, Overland Park, Kansas; his sister, Sheila Breen (Jim), Olathe, Kansas; his brother, Edward Preston, Jr. (Tracey), Stilwell, Kansas; and his four granddogs, Cooper, Cleo, Otis, & Tucker.

Due to current social distancing guidelines, services are being postponed until spring. Invitations will be sent out for a memorial service at the Overland Park Convention Center.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting contributions to the Terry Goodman Memorial Fund. Contributions will be used to purchase a donation of artwork, sculpture, statuary or playground equipment, benefitting the City Of Overland Park. Contributions  should be made payable to the “Terry Goodman Memorial Fund” and sent in c/o Charles Hunter, BOK Financial, 7500 College Blvd., Ste. 1450, Overland Park, KS 66210.

Terry’s family greatly appreciates all the kind people who supported him and his family throughout his illness. Additional thanks to Dr. Jaswinder Singh and his team at the Sarah Cannon Cancer Center; Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care; and John Frownfelter with Johnson County Funeral Chapel & Memorial Gardens.