At the end of the movie
Schindler's List they show a line of people passing Oskar Schindler's
grave. The people are the remaining present
day survivors of Schindler's list. As they file past his grave each person places
a stone on his headstone/marker. When I
saw the movie Schindler's List for the first time I didn't understand why this
placing of the stones on the grave was done.
There was a couple whom I
knew by the name of David and Helen Goodman.
They were an elderly couple who I use to see in our local Walmart. They would sit and talk with people, either
on a Walmart bench or usually in the dining area of a small restaurant within
the Walmart. Everyone knew them, both
employees and customers, and people would gather around them to join in their
conversation. It was as if they were a
king and queen holding court. They were
absolutely delightful to talk to and that is why the people would gather around
them, including me. Here is Helen
making "bunny ears" with her fingers for David and herself. Notice the pin on David's cap? Answer: Navy officer. And the printing on the left side of his jacket? Answer: Disabled American Veterans.
Yes, Helen was the lively one
and so full of life. She would talk a
mile a minute. David was more on the
quiet side. They were always
together. I never saw one without the
other.
As time passed Helen seemed
to become more frail. But she always
"kept court" with her legion of friends at the local Walmart. The picture below was taken 3 weeks before she
passed, and yet she is always happy and smiling.
Helen passed on first and then
David followed six weeks later. This
seems to happen when the husband and wife are very close and have been together
a long time. I guess that one can't
survive without the other. A friend
attended their funeral and visited their grave later and sent me a picture of
their marker. And there, on their
marker were some small stones that had been left behind by visitors, just like
in the movie Schindler's List.
I became very curious about
this placing of the stones on a grave. So I did a search on the internet. I found several similar versions of its
meaning:
a stone is placed as a sign of respect
a stone is placed to participate in the
marking of the grave
a stone is placed to let the deceased know
that you were there.
All are very good
versions. I visited their grave and left my own stone, for all three of the above reasons.
I hope that this blog will give
an idea of what these two individuals were like. These biographical sketches were taken from
their eulogies. Many thanks to whoever
wrote their eulogies. It is good to remember our friends and not let
them just pass into obscurity. I have
always liked people and I consider myself lucky to have shared some moments
with these two individuals, David and Helen.
The first part is about Helen since she passed first.
Helen (Bazar) Goodman
January 3, 1926 – October 22, 2012
Helen was born in Brooklyn, New
York. Her parents, Henry and Fay Bazar, were immigrants
from Poland. Her father worked as a presser in the garment
industry, and her mother, Fay, tended to her keeping a traditional Jewish home. Helen came of age during the Great
Depression. Helen was able to graduate from high school
during these difficult times. Typical
of a teenage female student of the time, Helen took a secretarial curriculum in
high school and for a time after graduation she engaged in secretarial work.
On a blind date set up by her sister Selma, Helen met David
Goodman, a Navy radioman, who had been a prisoner of war, and a survivor of the
Bataan Death March. Acquaintance turned
to friendship and then to romance and a wedding on February 20, 1946. A marriage of mutual love, care, and support
for well over 65 years.
David Goodman
May 27, 1920 – December 3, 2012
David Goodman was born in Brooklyn, New
York on May 27, 1920. His parents, Benjamin and Sarah Goodman
were immigrants from Lithuania. His father was a laborer. David graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School but could
not afford to go to college. Instead,
David wanted to join the Navy and see the world. But David was only 17 years old and needed his parents consent to join up. When he didn't get his parents consent he went on a hunger strike and quit eating, finally forcing a reluctant agreement that he could become a sailor if he would eat his dinner. David became a radioman 2nd class in the Navy and served on a torpedo boat (PT-34) in the South Pacific. In World War II he was captured by the Japanese and was held in a prisoner of war camp for 2 1/2 years. He endured a living hell working as a slave laborer in a stell mill, incurring malnutrition, disease, and tortuous medical experiments. He was released from the POW camp in 1945 and returned to Brooklyn. He met Helen on a blind date and they were married on February 20, 1946. David graduated from Officer Candidate School and rose to the rank of Commissioned Warrant Officer (CWO2). This is a picture of David as a Commissioned Warrant Officer. Yeah, I know it is blurry but it is the best that I have.
David was stationed in the Philippines when war with Japan broke out
in 1941. David was a radioman on a PT
boat (boat PT-34). He was captured in
1943 and spent the duration of the war as a prisoner of war. He endured a living hell working as a slave
laborer in a steel mill, incurring malnutrition, disease, and tortuous medical
experiments. He was liberated in 1945
and returned to Brooklyn. He married Helen on February 20, 1946.
In the late 1950's he was given orders to Germany without
family. David did not want to leave his
wife and children so he decided to retire from his last duty station which was
the Naval Air Station in Sanford,
Florida. He finally settled in Ocoee where I had the pleasure of talking with him and Helen. David received numerous medals for his
military service. His medals include:
The Silver Star indirectly awarded by General MacArthur. There is a small silver star located in the
center of the larger gold star. I guess
that is why they call it the Silver Star medal.
On the reverse side is the inscription "FOR
GALLANTRY IN ACTION". I guess that
speaks for itself.
WWII Victory Medal
And the reverse side of the WWII Victory medal.
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Military Service Medal
SECNAV Commendation (Letter or Medal?) under the hand of then Sec’y of the Navy
Frank Knox;
Philippine Defense Medal
On the reverse side it says
Good Conduct Medal
Navy Presidential Unit Citation ribbon
Prisoner of War Medal
Awarded for actions during World War II
Radioman Second Class David Goodman NSN 2234320, United States Navy was captured by the Japanese after the fall of Corregidor, Philippine Islands, on May 6, 1942, and was held as a Prisoner of War until liberated by U.S. Military forces after the end of hostilities in August, 1945.
David was held as a Prisoner of War in the Kawasaki 5D POW camp until that camp closed on June 4, 1945. Then he arrived at the Niigata 5B POW camp where he stayed until the Rescue Team arrived on September 5, 1945. Both of these camps were in the Tokyo area.
Did you keep count on the total number of medals and citations that he received? I counted 8. How many did you count? Please let me know in the comments section if I miscounted. What a chest full of medals he must have had on his uniform. Quite a feat.
After leaving the Navy, David and Helen eventually settled in Ocoee, Florida. He operated a radio repair shop for a while but eventually went to work for the Florida Department of Transportation, repairing and maintaining communications equipment.
After the war until he died, David suffered from what we now recognize as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. We us to say some military came back from the was "shell shocked". When he might wake up at night in terror, Helen was always there to comfort and reassure him that everything was alright. She devoted herself to him completely. They were devoted to each other. David died six weeks after Helen on December 3, 2012.
Shopping at Walmart just doesn't seem to be the same without Helen and David there. I hope that this biographical sketch has given some insight into this remarkable couple. Thanks for reading this.
Lew
