Neil Goodwin

Neal was born in Coon Rapids, Iowa to Ray & Iva (Visner) Goodwin. The family moved to Mountain Lake, MN when he was seven years old. After graduation from high school he accepted a job with Toro Manufactoring in St. James and also served with the Army National Guard. It was in St. James that Neil met Darlene Tresler in March of 1949 and they were united in marriage on October 2, 1949 in Madelia, MN. They farmed there until 1954 when they moved to Osakis. Neal's parents owned Sunset Resort on Lake Osakis and Neil loved fishing on the lake and guiding for guests that stayed at the resort. To this union four children were born, Steve, Mark, Diane and Terry. In 1960 Neil started a cattle and feeder-pig broker business called Goodwin Livestock. Their sales area included the Dakotas, Iowa, WIsconsin and Minnesota . The Goodwin's retired in 1999.
Neil was a charter member and treasurer of the Alexandria Church of Christ. He also served as president of the Osakis Lions Club.
Neil had a genuine passion for the outdoors that he shared with his family. He loved to hunt small game, waterfowl and whitetail deer in Minnesota and moose and elk in the Shoshoni Mountains of Wyoming. Every

chance they could Neal and Darlene were on the water fishing. They fished for lake trout and grayling in Canada, halibut and salmon in Alaska, salmon on Lake Michigan, surf fishing off Padre Island, Texas and of course all species of fish in Minnesota's 10,000 lakes.
In 1999 they moved from their farm to a cabin on Lake Osakis and started enjoying the winters traveling with their fifth-wheel across the south, settling in for the winter at their spacious trailer in the Sno to Sun Park in Weslaco, TX.
Neil is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Darlene; children, Steve (Eileen) of Eagle Bend, Mark (Lisa) of Black Hawk, SD, Diane (Dale) Johnson of Mayville, ND, Terry (Joan) of Carlos, MN; 6 grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren; a sister, Marilyn Blesi of Cheyenne, WY. He is preceded in death by his parents and one great grandchild, Emma Goodwin.
Neil passed away on November 28, 2007 with his family by his side in Weslaco, Texas.
Memorial services will be held on Saturday, December 8 at 10:30 am at the New Life Christian Church in Alexandria, MN with Rev. John Taplin officiating.
Inurnment is at the Pleasant Mound Cemetery in rural Todd County, MN.
Arrangements were handled by the Hawkins Funeral Home in Weslaco, Texas and the Roy-Hetland Funeral Home in Osakis, MN.