Mickey “Mick” Mark Goodrich, 74

Mickey “Mick” Mark Goodrich was born September 17, 1944, in Ainsworth, NE and passed away on December 6, 2023, in the Rock County Hospital. Mick was the youngest child born to Milo and Florence Goodrich of Sparks, NE where his parents ranched. He went to school at the small schoolhouse that supported the local area and then moved to Springview, NE during his high school years living with his grandparents Huber and Carrie Goodrich.

At Keya Paha County High School, he met his high school sweetheart, Ruth Norlin. On December 14, 1963, the couple were married at the United Methodist Church in Springview. Soon after, they bought the ranch Huber and Carrie owned on the Niobrara, homesteaded by Huber’s father. For the next eighteen years, they ranched, farmed and raised three children, Susan, Mark and Patricia. During this time, the Goodrich family was honored by the Governor in Nebraska for farm ownership of over a hundred years.

In 1982, Mick moved his family to Ainsworth, NE where Mick and Ruth purchased the Highway 20 Cafe. But after a while he decided to do other jobs including working for the local Coop delivering propane. This often resulted in stories of funny mishaps or tense challenges going to remote areas to do his job. In 1994, the couple moved to a property outside of Long Pine. There he could feed his passion of building on to the house. He loved to build a patio. That would then become another addition that would need another patio. With every room there was a TV that always played his favorite westerns.

After some time, he needed a new project, so he built a cabin down at the Calamus Lake. He enjoyed working on the cabin, but it started a new passion for fishing and boating. He loved the outdoors and his westerns, so there was always a TV easily accessible from his multiple patios.

Mick was a long-time member of the Long Pine Masonic Lodge #136 and the Tangier Shrine and Sandhills Shrine Club. One of his greatest joys was driving a small Model-T in the many parades the Shriners were a part of.

In the late 90’s and early 2000’s, Mick started a spraying company and soon became the Brown County Weed Superintendent. During that time, he became an active member of the Nebraska Weed Control Association. For the last 20 years, he and his wife owned Colonial Estates and Mick mentored his granddaughter, Jenny, to continue to manage it.

His last years were spent driving around Long Pine and visiting with his coffee buddies. After 58 years of marriage, his beloved wife passed away in September 2022.

Mick was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Ruth (Norlin); and sister, Rochelle Wall.

Survivors include his children, Susan (Philip) Brown of Long Pine, NE, Mark (Susan) of Austin, TX, Patricia (Tim) Weber of Purdum, NE; brother, Larry (Darla ) of Kansas City, KS; four granddaughters, Kathleen Brown, Jennifer Brown, Leah Goodrich and Taylor Weber.

A Celebration of Life Event was held on Friday, May 17, 2024 in the Ainsworth United Methodist Church with Pastor Mike Eurit as the officiant. The CD Selections of “How Great Thou Art” by Elvis Presley, “Are You Washed In The Blood of The Lamb” by Alan Jackson and “Amazing Grace” by Johnny Cash were played. A Private Family Inurnment occurred in the Mt. Hope Cemetery at Springview. Memorials were suggested to the family in Mick’s name for a future designation. Hoch Funeral Home of Ainsworth was in charge of arrangements.