Grover Walter Goodwell, Jr. entered this life in Akron, Ohio on September 15, 1943. He was the first of six children born to Helen and Grover Goodwell Sr., a homemaker, and police detective.

Grover attended public schools and graduated from Buchtel High School in Akron, Ohio. Grover was a standout football player that broke and set many records during his high school career. After graduating from high school, Grover enlisted in the United States Navy. During his eight-year enlistment, he had an opportunity to travel all over the world, including Spain and Portugal. Grover spoke fluent Spanish and was well-versed in many Spanish dialects. After completing his final deployment, Grover returned to Akron, where he worked briefly at the phone company and Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company before beginning his law enforcement career. He joined the Akron Police Department where his dad worked. Like his father, Grover worked his way from Patrolman to Detective. Grover loved being a Homicide Detective and solving crimes and often told of how he and his best friend, Harold Craig, had the highest crime solve rate. Grover was later promoted to Sergeant before leaving Ohio after 10 years in the police department and moving to Texas to be among other family members in 1980. After a few years in the private sector, he began his service to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ). Grover began as a correctional officer and within two years, was promoted to Lieutenant Investigator with TDCJ’s Internal Affairs Division, Special Investigations Team. He continued to climb the career ladder, advancing to Captain before being promoted to Assistant Warden within the prison system. It was at Internal Affairs where Grover met and fell in love with Judy, with whom he spent the next 31 years. After almost 20 years of service, Grover retired from TDCJ in 2007. This retirement did not last long as he was recruited by a former director to return to the agency Training Department to share his knowledge and experience with incoming correctional staff. While at TDCJ, Grover developed a love for gardening and mowing the fields on a tractor. Grover retired from TDCJ a second and final time in 2013 to enjoy time with his family.

Grover was proceeded in death by his father, Grover Goodwell Sr., brother Ronald Goodwell, sister Arita Goodwell Lacy, mother Helen Goodwell; aunts Ruth Fort, Thelma Ford, Mary Mullen, and Willard Sommerville; and uncles Roger Wilson, Theodore Wilson and Harold Wilson.

Those left to celebrate his life and cherish his memory are his wife, Judy Goodwell and their children, Angelque Goodwell and Barry Tubbs, Jr.; siblings, David Goodwell (Jennifer); Timothy Goodwell; Teresa Johnson (Walter); sister-in-law Belinda Goodwell; brother-in-law, Kenneth Lacy. Grandchildren: Jessica, Ryan, Cheyenne, Kaya, Shayne, and Arianna; great-grandchildren Alaila & Leilani; a dear friend to our family, David Hawkins; Godchildren: Amina, Asanti and Ja’Navia; aunt Delores Wilson; a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. While he loved and was very proud of all of his nieces and nephews, he had two nieces that called him frequently for advice and just to chat, Carri Fleming and Crystal Langston. Very special friends that kept in touch with him over the years were Harold and Eunice Craig, Beverly Thomas, and Curtis Spikes.

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