Ralph H. Goodno

Ralph Holmes “Chip” Goodno, 64, of Conestoga, Pennsylvania passed away on June 13, 2014 in Haverhill, Massachusetts with his loving family by his side. He had been valiantly fighting leukemia for almost two years. He was the beloved husband of Judith A. Goodno, his wife of 43 years. Born on December 15, 1949 in Salem, MA, Ralph was the son of Pauline E. Rogers and the late well-known conservationist Ralph H. Goodno. Ralph was raised in the woods of Andover, MA where he discovered his love of the outdoors. In his youth, he was active in the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, where he achieved a Star ranking and became a member of the Order of the Arrow. Since he enjoyed working outside, his early jobs included working on a mink farm, a landscape crew, and golf course greens keeping. He graduated from Austin Preparatory School in Reading, MA. In 1971, he graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA with a degree in Environmental Design. He continued his schooling at Syracuse University, NY and the State University of New York with a degree in Landscape Architecture. One favorite memory of his college years was when he and his wife experienced living on a horse ranch in Mexico as part of a foreign semester program. Several years later, he completed required coursework for a Master of Business Administration from the University of New Haven, CT. After his schooling, Ralph began his career at Allen Hixon Associates, a small design firm in Connecticut. As a licensed landscape architect, Ralph was involved in housing development design, new school site plans, and urban projects. After 5 years in professional design work, Ralph made the successful career transition to professional land and river protection and improvement. He decided he wanted to help protect and save natural lands, rather than help to develop them. Ralph proceeded to lead nonprofit conservation organizations in New England and later in Pennsylvania. He was Executive Director of the Housatonic Valley Association in CT and MA; President and CEO at the Merrimack River Watershed Council in NH and MA; and most recently, President and CEO with the Lancaster County Conservancy in PA. Ralph was a lifelong land and water conservationist. His intention was to continue protecting land and streams in Lancaster County until he retired. Then he wanted to begin a volunteer career helping a variety of organizations. He was a leader in helping the Lancaster County Community Foundation create the successful Nonprofit Resource Network, which helps all nonprofits. Ralph served on many boards of community organizations. These included the Nonprofit Resource Network, PA Land Trust Association, Appalachian Trail Conference, New England Rivers Center and Massachusetts Watershed Association. He was a member of the Lancaster Rotary Club. He received several awards including having a designated Ralph Goodno Day named by the Governor of Massachusetts, Green Seal Award by the Secretary of the MA Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, and Charles Downing Lay Award by the Housatonic Valley Association. Most recently, Ralph received a letter from the Lancaster County Conservancy to honor his “leadership and spirit” and “dedication and commitment” to “preserve natural land in Lancaster County.” On June 7, 2014 at the Conservancy’s annual picnic, they announced the naming of a scenic trail at Turkey Hill Nature Preserve as the “Ralph H. Goodno Trail” and the naming of the “Ralph H. Goodno Susquehanna Riverlands Endowment Fund.” Ralph was a member of the Goldwing Road Riders Association. He loved riding his red Honda Goldwing motorcycle on short trips and long distance trips touring the United States. He visited many national parks. As members of the local GWRRA Chapter B, he and his wife were Chapter Educators and Couple of the Year. Ralph enjoyed travelling, camping, hiking, canoeing, bicycling, downhill and cross country skiing, motorcycle riding and other outdoor activities. He especially loved spending time with his two new grandchildren, Josie, 16 months and Oliver, 10 months. He was always enthusiastic about trying new things and had a real passion for life. He was always looking for the next adventure. Ralph will be greatly missed by his family and friends. He is survived by his wife, Judith Goodno of Conestoga; two daughters, Karen Goodno-McGuire, married to Michael McGuire of Salem, MA and Sarah Brackett, married to Edward Brackett of Pelham, NH; two grandchildren, Josephine McGuire and Oliver Brackett; his mother Pauline Rogers of Peabody, MA; three sisters, Marcia Sarazen of Tampa, FL; Patricia Ford of Amesbury, MA; and Joanne Hooper of Lawrence, MA; one brother J. Wesley Goodno of Pawtucket, RI; and numerous nieces and nephews. Visiting hours will be from 9:00-10:30 A.M. on Wednesday, June 18 at Mackey Funeral Home, 22 Conant Street, Danvers, MA. Funeral mass will be at 11 A.M. at St. Mary’s Church, Danvers. There will also be a Memorial Service in Lancaster, PA at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 21, 2014 at The Groffs Family Funeral and Cremation Services, Inc., 528 West Orange Street, Lancaster, PA (corner of Orange and Pine Streets). The family will greet friends from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the service. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in memory of Ralph H. Goodno to the Lancaster County Conservancy, P.O. Box 716, Lancaster, PA 17608. Please click on this link to see a recent article written about Ralph and his many accomplishments in the Lancaster Newspaper. article_49662970-f0e0-11e3-a3d3-0017a43b2370[1]

Ralph H. Goodno

June 17, 2014