The town lost two well respected and appreciated members of the teaching community recently with the passing of V. Kathleen Gooding on June 15 and Budson “Bud” Anderson on June 19.
Budson C. Anderson,
math teacher
It all happened so quickly, on the sunny day of June 19th that began so perfect. The sun had finally appeared, the birds were singing and the golfers were crisscrossing the fairways at the Houlton Community Golf Course. Bud Anderson, who lived at Nickerson Lake near the course and his neighbor had been out for a ride in his golf cart. As they parted ways Anderson put his golf cart away in his storage shed followed by his lawnmower.
Then the deafening sound of an explosion.
In disbelief Anderson’s neighbor looked back toward the Anderson home to see the shed fully engulfed in flames. Investigators say as near as they can tell it was spontaneous combustion, the right temperature, the right humidity and a mix of fumes within the building. A chance happening.
The entire greater Houlton community was heartbroken when the news spread. With all of the social media these days, even those living away soon heard the news.
Anderson grew up in Littleton, the son of Clara and Linwood Anderson and a brother to Betty, Bob, Judy and Bill. He had married the former Sandra Adams who predeceased him in 2006. They were married for 50 years and the parents of Kim Anderson York, Jayne and Jim.
He graduated from Ricker Classical Institute and Ricker College. Before taking a teaching position with the Houlton School department, Anderson served in the United States Army. Once back in Houlton he taught math to hundreds of students for more than 30 years. He also coached a variety of sports and was the first coach of high school golf back in 1970. Many of those original golf team members continue to play the sport today, some 40 years later. They include: Jim Gormley, David Wilson, David Harbison, Andy Pierce, Mark Grant, Rick Goodwin, Jerry Adams and Sean Conlogue.
Anderson retired in 1989 and changed course by working for the U.S. Customs and Immigration Services. When he finally gave up the working schedule he enjoyed his pastime of fishing, golfing, skiing and traveling, as well as, cribbage games and a Thursday night bumper pool challenge with good friends.
Deacon Al Burleigh, who led the memorial service had Anderson for a teacher in the late ‘60s. He said, “Bud did good things and lived the right way. He kept a positive attitude. He was genuine.”
In 1975, Burleigh joined the faculty of Houlton High School and became a colleague of Anderson.
“He was always a gentleman, quiet with a smile on his face. A friend to many,” said Burleigh. “An example of how we should live our lives.”
As several of his closest friends took the microphone to speak, the same words were reiterated over and over. He was such a good friend. He was an inspiration and a joy.
As the service came to an end, Anderson’s son Jim came to speak for his family with a tribute he and his sisters had written together.
“He was a true friend to many of you, but also to us,” said Jim.
“As my sisters and I worked on this tribute together, I think my sister Jayne said it best, ‘He was the greatest person I’ve ever met, who just happens to be my father,’” he said.
As friends and relatives gathered at a reception later at the Country Club, retired state police captain, Dean Clukey spoke about his golf partner. Clukey met Anderson about 15 years ago and for the last six or seven had played golf with him on a regular basis.
“He was the best guy I have ever known, said Clukey. “I don’t think I know another man like him. He just never got mad. It didn’t matter who might be playing ahead of us, if they were taking too much time and really slowing the play down or whatever. Bud would just smile and stay calm.”
Clukey shared a story about playing each hole of golf for a quarter and if Anderson was behind in the quarter count he might suggest on the 9th hole to shoot the ball over to number 18 if no other players were there and see who could get it closest to the pin. One day Anderson forgot to pay up his quarter at the end of the round, Clukey said. “I didn’t really think anything of it, but after leaving the golf course I stopped at the Elm Tree for a bite to eat. When I came out I found a quarter wedged in the side window of my vehicle. He was just that kind of a guy. I will miss him a lot.”
The Andersons are a close-knit family that gets together on a regular basis, travels together and are best friends. Jim’s wife, Annie said that her father-in-law always made everyone feel welcome.
His grandchildren, nieces and nephews remembered their hiking trips to Mt. Katahdin where he would give them a challenge. One time it was to learn to spell Czechoslovakia as they climbed to the top.
He was fun to be around.
V. Kathleen Gooding,
Elementary librarian
Another well-loved Houlton educator who will be missed is V. Kathleen Gooding, the former librarian at Houlton Elementary School and later Houlton Southside School. Gooding retired in 2001. She had just three short years to enjoy retirement before being stricken with a stroke that ultimately left her with some paralysis. A very challenging condition, but through it all Gooding still had her smile.
Born in Wallasey, Cheshire, England in 1933, she never lost that special English accent that was her trademark. She came to Houlton as a war bride, marrying Garth Gooding of Presque Isle, who was stationed at the U.S. Army base in England.
Gooding was the type of person who always went above and beyond in anything she was involved with. “Good enough” was not in her vocabulary.
I had the opportunity to work with her from 1973 until 2001 at the elementary school. As a first-grade teacher my room was in close proximity to the library. She was a plethora of information and if she didn’t have what you were looking for at her fingertips she would research it and gather so much material one would have to say, “OK Kathleen, that is plenty, this will more than cover what I need.”
She was a great one to recycle. Gooding kept files on all kinds of subjects, from butterflies to outer space. She kept photos and clippings she had found in a variety of publications in discarded X-ray boxes she had gotten from the hospital. They were very narrow storage containers and she had them all labeled and in alphabetical order on a shelf in the storage area. She was also well known for her file called “Aunt Viola’s.” This file, too, was full of photos of animals, birds, flowers or any other topic a teacher might need to cover in the classroom. She was not one to throw anything away.
Gooding not only provided material for displays, filmed many of the musical concerts and field trips at the schools she worked in, but also did many of those same things at the Military Street Baptist Church. Her pastor of more than 20 years, Randall Burns was just amazed at her energy and knowledge. It didn’t matter what was happening at the church, Kathleen would make it the best display ever.
“I’m sure,” said Burns, “that we received top honors in mission donations because of Kathleen.”
He also recalled how she and her late husband arrived at the Burns’ new home at Nickerson Lake with a trunk full of cuttings from their flower garden, including some flowers whose seeds she had brought from her native country.
Gooding also provided the family with a detailed map and itinerary of what to see and the best way to get there when the Burns family visited the area where Gooding grew up. She could have been one of the authors of Fodor’s Travel Guide and probably much more accurate. She was just that meticulous.
Her daughter Alison said, “How lucky I was to have parents who were perfect for me, an only child.”
Not only was her mother a librarian, but her dad as well and they instilled in her at an early age the love of reading. Alison, too, became an educator until her “mum” needed her as a caregiver.
It is during times like these that one is brought to the reality of how in an instant, life can end. One hopes that we learn from these individuals; to be tolerant, to be kind, to not settle for good enough, but strive to be or do one’s best and also learn to just let some things go.
