Funeral Services for Galen, 90, of Jefferson will be 2:00 pm Wednesday, January 21, 2009 at the Central Christian Church in Jefferson.  Interment will be in Greenbrier Cemetery, Greene County, Iowa.  Visitation will be after 9:00 am Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home in Jefferson with the family present to greet friends from 6 pm to 8 pm with a prayer service to follow at 8:00 pm.  Friends may also view Galen after 11:00 am Wednesday at the Central Christian Church until the time of the service.

Galen Woods Goughnour, age 90, of Jefferson, Iowa died on Saturday, January 17, 2009, at the Greene County Medical Center, Jefferson, Iowa, following a long battle with Alzheimer’s. The son of Frank M. and Pearl M. (Woods) Goughnour, Galen was born May 26, 1918, at Elkhart, Iowa, and graduated from High School in Grand Junction, Iowa, in 1936. Following high school, Galen started farming in Greene County and continued for 40 years until his retirement in 1978. In his early years, Galen traveled, worked, and farmed for Floyd Mahaney.

Galen was united in marriage to his first love, Grace Elaine Wallace, on August 16, 1942, at the Church of the Brethren, Panora, Iowa, by his grandfather, the minister at the time. They were married 40 years, and raised 3 children, Brian, Marilyn and Brent, and lived in Greenbrier Township, southeast of Scranton, Iowa, until 1978, when Galen and Grace purchased their home in Jefferson. The family enjoyed many family vacations and fishing trips to Lake Ada in Minnesota over the years. Grace died of cancer September 4, 1982.

Galen got his second chance at love and married Pattie Ruth Helms, on November 5, 1983, at Central Christian Church in Jefferson. They enjoyed their retirement traveling to Mission in the Mountains in Colorado, fishing in Minnesota, seeing family in Texas, and a dream trip to Hawaii.

Galen was active in his community, serving 17 years in Farm Bureau as director, vice president, and president, and 4 years as a voting delegate. He served 3 years on the board of the Farmer’s Home Administration, 9 years on the Board of Education at Scranton Consolidated School, and over 20 years as a member of the Greene County Zoning Commission. Galen was a member of the Greenewood board, a Lion’s Club member, and an elder at Central Christian Church for 30 years. He treasured his faith, family, and friends, and enjoyed farming, traveling, fishing, and telling a good story.

Surviving Galen are his wife Pat; son Brian (Stephanie) Goughnour of Keokuk, IA; and children, David (Mary) Goughnour, and Kerrie Goughnour; daughter Marilyn (Al) Martyn of Westfield, IA; and children, Josh (Dusty) Martyn, Rory (Jason) Dover, and Katey (Nate) Schmidt; son Brent (Loretta) Goughnour of Jefferson, IA; and children, Jay (Nikki) Goughnour, Jill (William) Hayes, Jennifer (Steve) Steinfeldt, and Jeremiah Goughnour; great-grandchildren Emma and Hope Goughnour, Lydia and Elijah Martyn, Grace, Jonathan, and Joshua Dover, Taylor, Cole, and Megan Goughnour, Will and Olivia Hayes, and Brooklyn Steinfeldt; step-children Wayne (Linda) Helms of Lohrville, IA; and children Jamie (Amanda) Helms, Shon (Heath) Reed, Jeremy (Melissa) Helms; Mike (Glenda) Helms of Early, TX; and children Christopher (Casey) Helms and Melinda Helms; Kate (Steve) Cuddy of Naperville, IL; and children Melissa and Kyle Cuddy; and Dawna Helms of Jefferson; great-grandchildren Levi and Ella Helms, Zachary, Chaylin, Jerad, and Jena Reed, Breanna, Tyler, and Billy Wayne Helms; two sisters Laura Ihrig, and Jane Hayward, and many nieces and nephews.

Preceding him in death, were his parents; his wife Grace; his sisters Myrtle Gleim, Lova Thornburg, and Mary Tiffany; and grandson Jonathan David Martyn.