James Goodwin

James F. Goodwin, 62, of Little Rock died Thursday, February 12, 2009, at Kindred Hospital in Houston, Texas. He was born May 7, 1946, in Texarkana, Arkansas, to Mary Mae Goodwin and the late Harry O. Goodwin.
Mr. Goodwin graduated from Little Rock?s Hall High School in 1964. He received his bachelor?s degree from Little Rock University (now University of Arkansas at Little Rock), where he was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity. He did post-graduate studies at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. After completing his college studies, Mr. Goodwin was hired by the Stephens International advertising, public relations and marketing firm.
In 1975, he joined Twin City Travel, which later became James F. Goodwin Travel. Within a matter of several years, the agency had grown from two agents into the third largest travel agency in Arkansas, surpassed only by Dillard?s Travel and Worldwide Travel. During its most successful years, James F. Goodwin Travel employed 30 travel professionals in six full-service offices throughout central Arkansas.
Jim, as he was called by friends and clients, possessed an unusual combination of dignity, modesty, calmness and dry wit and penchant for one-liners that friends savored and relished in re-telling.
He served as president of both the Salvation Army and the Little Rock Executives Association. He was also a member of the Little Rock Rotary Club for over 20 years and of the Country Club of Little Rock. He was a member of Park Hill Baptist Church in North Little Rock, where he and his wife, Janice, were participants in and contributors to numerous civic and charitable organizations.
Jim was an accomplished painter, musician, and horticulturalist. Many of his oil paintings were inspired by his world travels, and he often combined his love of horticulture and travel by arranging group and individual trips to some of the world?s finest gardens.
He is survived by his wife of 22 years, Janice Harris Goodwin; son and daughter in law, Mike and Rebecca Harris; two daughters and sons in law, Ali and Blake Breeding and Nicole and Aaron Hulse; five grandchildren, Michael and Alex Harris, Katherine and Anna Breeding, and Joshua Hulse. Survivors also include his mother, Mary and two sisters, Jane Davis of Fort Smith and Kay Coleman of Little Rock. He was preceded in death by his father and grandson, Harris Andrew Hulse.
Honarary pallbearers will be members of the Little Rock Executives Association and the Park Hill Baptist Church, White-Herndon Sunday School Class.
Memorials may be made to Park Hill Baptist Church, 201 East ?C? St., North Little Rock, AR 72116; Arkansas Baptist Children?s Home, P.O. Box 552, Little Rock, AR 72203; and the Salvation Army, P.O. Box 1897, Little Rock, AR 72203-1897.
Visitation will by today from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the North Little Rock Funeral Home, 1921 Main St., North Little Rock. Memorial service will be 1:00 p.m. Monday at Park Hill Baptist Church with Dr. Ken Shaddox and Dr. S. Cary Heard officiating. Online obituary and guest register at www.nlrfh.com.