Robert Frank Goad

Bob Goad, of Shelton, died at home on May 31 after a heart attack while mowing his lawn. He was 62.

He born on Feb. 13, 1947 in St. Paul, Minn., the first son of Samuel Terry Goad and Rose Kelley Goad. He attended Benilde High School in St. Louis Park, Minn., and Creighton University in Omaha from 1965-1973 for both his undergraduate degree and medical school. His medical internship was done at the old Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego. He was accepted for a two-year residency in anesthesia and a one-year fellowship in hyperbaric medicine at Duke University in Durham, N.C. from 1982-1985.

Upon graduation from medical school, he was commissioned an officer in the U.S. Navy Medical Corps, where he served for 24 years, rising quickly through the ranks before retiring as a captain in 1994. His training began in Groton, CN at the Naval Undersea Medical Institute (NUMI) which led to him becoming an expert in diving/submarine medicine. He was the recipient of the Surgeon General’s Award there. He served in San Diego as the Designated Saturation Diving Medicial Officer Deep Diving Systems, COMSUBDEVGRUONE. From 1978-1982, he served as the U.S. Navy Exchange Officer in Underwater Medicine to the Royal Navy at the Institute of Naval Medicine in Alverstoke, England. His work there involved doing research on the hyperbaric tables, teaching, work with NATO, and the deep dive program series. His work and expertise in diving/submarine medicine led to his appointment as Chief Medical Officer for Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, from 1986-1990. His final tour in the Navy was as the Director for Operational Medicine, Naval Hospital in Bremerton from 1990-1994.

He began a full-time career in anesthesia in 1994 at Mason General Hospital in Shelton, and worked part-time at a local oral surgery/implant clinic. He saved many lives due to his focused attention to details in the O.R. and was rated as a top anesthesiologist.

Stemming from his Navy experiences, his love of diving and the mysterious beauty of the ocean were important to him. He was a renowned expert in the treatment of the “bends,” working with the Diving Accident Network and the Underwater/Hyperbaric Medical Society. He passed this love and awe on to his children. After diving trips, he would often regale them with tales of underwater adventures dealing with dangerous and beautiful creatures of the deep, like coaxing morays eels and octopi out of their stony crevices.

He lectured for and dived with what was then the Human Underwater Biology, CME group, becoming infamous not only for his excellent and funny lectures in underwater medicine, but also for his pranks. He found it amusing to pop up from behind coral reefs wearing a replica mask of the “Creature of the Black Lagoon” to surprise passing divers, almost giving them the “bends” as they zoomed away from him in terror.

He was a comedian, jokester and prankster extraordinaire. Ever thoughtful, no friend or relative’s birthday or anniversary that he knew went by without a greeting card. Two were waiting to be mailed when he passed.

Recently, he had joined the board of the Prisoners of the Far East WWII Memorial project, which is striving to raise money to erect a monument in Bremerton. His love of history was recently focused on the Bataan Death March.

He is survived by his college sweetheart and wife of 38 years (June 19) to college sweetheart, Carolyn (Waldeck); children Matt, Jenny, Chris, and Katie; his father, Samuel Terry; siblings Carolyn, Maryann (John Merideth) and John (Jean); in-laws; cousins; nephews; nieces; aunts; and uncles. He was preceded in death by his mother, Rose.

A visitation and Recitation of the Rosary took place on June 11. The Mass of Christian Burial will take place at noon June 12 at St. Cecilia Catholic Church, with a reception to follow in Conger Hall. Interment will take place at Hillcrest Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to: Transitional Resourses, 2970 S.W. Avalon Way, W. Seattle, WA 98126 or Prisoners of the Far East WWII Memorial, 2412 Soundview Dr. N.E., Bainbridge Island, WA 98110. An online guest book is at www.cookfamilyfuneralhome.com.