Jonah Goodbread Obituary

Colonel Jonah E. Goodbread succumbed to a long illness July 2, 2006. He was born near Quitman, Georgia on December 24, 1916 to Phillip Eugene Goodbread and Maggie May Goodbread, who are deceased. He was a graduate of Pahokee, Florida High School and attended Georgetown University in Washington, DC. He was married on April 22, 1946 to Emma Dixie Dreher, who preceded him in death. He is survived by a brother, Alton A. Goodbread; a son, Dr. Jon P. Goodbread; a daughter, Janet G. Goodbread; and three grandsons, Jonathan P. Goodbread, Steven M. Goodbread and Cooper B. Dunagin. Gene entered the Army Air Corps in April, 1942, graduated from flight school in 1943 and was commissioned through the aviation cadet program. He flew two combat tours in Europe from England: one tour in B-17's with the 100th bomb group, 8th Air Force from 1943 - 1944 and one tour in British Mosquitoes, unarmed and unescorted, as reconnaissance over Europe, which he completed in December 1944. After the war, Gene was a flight instructor for the US Air Force in various locations in the United States. In 1952, he was stationed at the Pentagon, where he was trained for a position as the Assistant Attaché for the embassy in Athens, Greece. Returning stateside in 1957, he was assigned to the SAGE installation at Truax AFB in Madison, WI. After three years, he was transferred to ADC in Colorado Springs, where he was a Director in Plans and Programs. Gene and his wife had spent a tour in Colorado Springs in 1946 and had always wished to return. In 1964, Gene spent a year at Osan AFB, Korea as Director of Air Defense Operations, 314th Air Division. Returning in 1965 to Colorado Springs, he was assigned for six years as Director Command and Control HQ, North American Air Defense Command. Gene retired in 1972 after 30 years of service with the US Air Force. In their post retirement years, Gene and his wife enjoyed traveling and spending time with their three grandsons. He will be sorely missed by all his family and friends. Funeral Services with Air Force Honors will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, July 7th, 2006 at the Shrine of Remembrance "America the Beautiful" Chapel of Roses. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the services in the Chapel. Private interment will take place on Monday at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver. Memorials may be made to the Odyssey Hospice Foundation, 4465 Northpark Drive, Suite 400, Colorado Springs, CO 80907.