David William Goddard

David William Goddard was an amazing, loving husband and incredible, loving father to Shayla and Brayden. Dave was also a devoted son, brother and very dear friend to all who knew him. Dave was born and raised in the Lakewood area and never moved more than 5 minutes from where he grew up. Dave started working at Albertsons when he was 17, where he met the love of his life, Beth. After graduating from Bear Creek High School in 1987, Dave discovered that college was not for him. He forged his own path to earning every career he ever had but discovered that talking to people and a love of cars held a special interest to him. Dave combined his two talents and started selling cars for Burt Chevy in 1996, which he excelled in. He had a desire to listen to people and find them exactly what they wanted, and almost every customer turned into a life-long friend. During this time, he married his best friend and was blessed with two incredible children. The long hours he put in selling cars was not worth the sacrifice of missing time with his young kids, so he quit, and bought a gutter truck- not knowing anything about how to hang a gutter! But it gave Beth and Dave time to be together and run a small business, Arrow Seamless Gutters, out of their home. Of course, Dave excelled in that too, and soon grew the business to hanging gutters, siding, windows and roofing. The business grew and he sold it in 2003, so he could once again start a small business at home selling cars, to spend more time with his family. But soon enough, Dave was bored and found a truck up-fitting business for sale, and much to his wife's protest, he bought it in 2007. One month later, Beth was diagnosed with breast cancer and soon after the economy turned for the worst. But Dave never was discouraged; he tended to his wife's every need, helped her recover, built his business and still made tons of time for his kids. Like everything else Dave did, the business boomed, and Dave had to buy 3 other properties and hire a staff of 25-30 people to run Mastercraft Truck Equipment. He became a respectable business man in the community and a boss that employees looked up to and loved. Dave also had a desire to make his community a better place, joining the city council in Englewood and working with law enforcement and city planners to help small business owners succeed. He even completed the Citizens Police Academy to be better aware of his community and earned even more respect and admiration for all police officers- many of whom are dear friends. Dave also had a heart for getting young men trained in the trades. So he worked with Save Our Youth to develop a Masters Apprentice Program, where young men could develop basic working and life skills. Dave had a special gift for loving people. He remembered the name of every person he ever met. His friends and family meant everything to him, and he would drop everything to help when they were in need. Even when we would travel, there was not an airport in any country that we could go to, where someone wouldn’t yell, "Goddard!" and sure enough, a long lost friend was there! Dave loved the LORD with all of his heart, mind and soul, and raised his kids with the same faithfulness. Although his time was short on this earth, Dave lived a full life. He loved his wife with all of his being- a fantastic husband who spoiled her in every way! Dave took every second he could to be the best father ever and loved, loved, loved his kids. He enjoyed being with Shay and Brayden and all of their friends and adventures, heartaches and triumphs. To say he was a proud father is an understatement. His chest would swell when he talked about his kids. Dave was also very proud of all of his nieces and nephews and never missed a chance to spend time with them or offer them counsel over lunch or dinner. He doted on his mom and dad and always took care of them. Dave loved all of his family, and his brother was one of his best friends. They enjoyed traveling, hunting, fishing and many hours of stories and laughter together till the very end. He never waited to travel with his family, which he did extensively, never waited to take a risk or challenge, and always took time off with the family, enjoying many summer days boating, fishing, road tripping, camping, taking his wife on weekends away, or his kids hunting or skiing. And in the winter, would love a good snow day with the family- or even a ditch day here or there! Dave leaves a large legacy behind- a wife of almost 25 years, 2 teenage children, mother, father, brother, 4 half-sisters and many brothers/sisters-in-law, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews and cousins. Thank you to all of our friends and family who supported us with prayer, meals, rides, talks and laughter- you mean the world to us and you will never know how much we appreciate and love you all. Dave's favorite Bible verse is Jer 29:11-13 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." We will miss you every day of our lives but take comfort in the peace that you are in heaven with our LORD, and one day we will be together again. Angiosarcoma is a devastating cancer that is largely underfunded because so few cases are diagnosed every year. Dr. Villalobos at University of Colorado was Dave's doctor- whom Dave loved- and the head of sarcoma research. Donation made in Dave's memory will be used wisely to advance ways to fight this disease and one day beat it! University of Colorado Foundation In the memo line, please write Fund # 0222839 (Villalobos Sarcoma Rsrch Fund) In memory of Dave Goddard Mail donations to: University of Colorado 13001 E. 17th Place Suite WG112 MS A065 Aurora, CO 80045