James Edgar GOOCH Jr.

1943 - 2015

CHATHAM, IL - James Edgar Gooch Jr., 72, of Chatham, passed away Sunday, May 10, 2015, at Memorial Medical Center.

He was born Jan. 20, 1943, in Springfield, to James Edgar and Alberta Welsh Gooch Sr. He married Sheila Murphy on Sept. 12, 1964, in Springfield and she survives.

Mr. Gooch is also survived by his daughter, Lisa (Kirk) Price of Chatham: four grandsons: Steerling (Leslie) Price of St. Louis, Hunter (fiancée, Natalie) Price of Chatham, and Manning and Conley Price, both of Chatham; one sister, Rita (George) Nafziger of Springfield; one nephew, Philip Nafziger of Waynesville, MO; one niece, Nancy Nafziger of Shelbyville; and one cousin, Jeanette (Fred) Fry of Springfield.

James was a U.S. Army veteran serving during Vietnam. He was the owner and operator of Gooch and Associated Commercial Printing from 1973 until his retirement in 1995. He was involved with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes where he received the Tom Landry Award and he was also a member of the Boy Scouts of America (Troop 3) where he received the Order of the Arrow. James enjoyed fishing, camping trips, and the St. Louis Cardinals. He was a member of Cherry Hills Baptist Church since 1953.

A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, May 15, 2015, at Cherry Hills Baptist Church, 2125 Woodside Rd., Springfield, with burial to follow at Camp Butler National Cemetery where the Inter-Veterans Burial Detail of Sangamon County will conduct military honors.

The family will meet friends from 9 a.m. until the time of service on Friday at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: Cherry Hills Baptist Church or Fellowship of Christian Athletes.