Rex Herbert Goings
Rex Herbert Goings, 76, South Whitley, died at 1:06 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019, at Parkview Regional Medical Center, Fort Wayne where he had been a patient for the past two weeks.
He was born March 27, 1943, in Columbia City, a son of the late Ivan E. and Dorothy L. (Bauman) Goings. His formative years were spent in South Whitley where he graduated from South Whitley High School in 1961. He joined the U.S. Army on June 7, 1961, and served in Germany defending the Berlin Wall. On July 17, 1963, he was released from active duty and entered the U.S. Army reserves. He received his honorable discharged on May 31, 1967. He then served with the Indiana Air National Guard as a Staff Sergeant until July 1980.
On Oct. 4, 1963, he was united in marriage to Adonna L. Schannep. They have always made their home in South Whitley.
In 1964, he went to work for International Harvester, Fort Wayne. After the plant closing in Fort Wayne, he transferred to the Indianapolis plant where he retired in 2000 from the now named Navistar. He also drove trucks part-time and more recently drove escort vehicles for mobile home transports. He took pride in his work and loved doing it throughout his life.
Well-liked, he enjoyed being with people which led him to become an usher at Notre Dame Stadium football games for 20 years. He enjoyed road trips and seeking out points of interest throughout the States. The family was his priority and he is fondly remembered by his children and grandchildren as a caring and loving father and grandfather. But he held most dear, the love of his life, his wife, Adonna.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Adonna, a son, Luke (Trinda) Goings, Churubusco; grandchildren, Elizabeth (Austin) Kilmer, Fort Wayne and Paul (Theadoshia) Goings, Dewitt, Mich.; a great-grandchild, Jaclyn Goings; a brother, Roscoe (Ann) Goings, South Whitley and a sister, Ruth (Richard) Malcolm, Butler.
Additionally, he was preceded in death by a brother, Dale “Richard” Goings.
A memorial service will be held at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Smith & Sons Funeral Home, Columbia City. The family will receive friends from 2 p.m. until the service Wednesday at the funeral home. Interment will take place at a later date at the South Whitley Cemetery.
Preferred memorials are to the St John Lutheran Church, Columbia City.