EDWARD ALOYSIUS GODAR

Edward A. Godar, 87, of Jefferson City, died Sunday, June 24, 2007, at the home of his brother in St. Louis. He was born on Oct. 4, 1919, in St. Louis, the son of James Edward and Nellie Genevieve McDonald Godar. He was married on Nov. 27, 1948 in Jefferson City to Catherine Katy Rolfes who died on March 20, 2001. He was a 1938 graduate of Jerseyville (Illinois) Township High School and received a Bachelor degree in 1942 from St. Louis University. He received a Master degree in Personnel Psychology from Ohio State University in 1946. He was a U.S. Army Air Corps veteran of World War II. He was employed with the Missouri Merit System Council and served as Acting Merit System Supervisor from 1946-1947. He served as Assistant Director of the newly created Missouri State Division of Personnel and continued in that position until he was appointed as Division Director in 1973. While Director, he also served as a member and vice-chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Missouri State Employees Retirement System for thirteen years. He was a past member of the Executive Committee of the Governors Committee on Employment of the Handicapped. In October, 1977, he received the Public Personnel Award of the Governors Committee for his contribution to employment of qualified handicapped individuals. After forty years of state service, he retired on Aug. 1, 1986, and was subsequently given the Award for Outstanding Contribution to Public Administration by the Missouri Institute for Public Administration. Following retirement, he served on the Work Force Task Force of Governor Carnahans Committee on Management and Productivity in 1994. He was a member of the Board of Directors of Jefferson City Area United Way; Committee on Personnel of the Mayors Advisory Commission on Jefferson City Government; Board of Regents of St. Marys Health Center; Mid-Missouri Chapter of the Alzheimers Association; Board of Directors of Homemaker Health Care, Inc.; and a long-time member of American Legion Post 5. He recent years he was an active volunteer with Villa Marie Skilled Nursing Facility where his wife had been a patient for many years. He was a member of St. Joseph Cathedral where he was active with the Legion of Mary and the parish school board; Dan C. Coppin Assembly, Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus; International Personnel Management Association; American Psychological Association; Missouri Institute of Public Administration; and a charter member of Meadow Lake Acres Country Club. Survivors include four brothers, Aloys Godar, Chesterfield, MO; Leo Godar, Jerseyville, IL; Stephen Godar, Hardin, IL; and Antoine Godar, Raleigh, NC; three sisters, Marian Muehlenkamp, St. Louis, MO; Rose Mary Ippolito, Nausha, NH; and Clara Conlin, Brighton, MI; one sister-in-law, Mary Godar, Reston, VA; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by one daughter, Mary Kaye Godar on Dec. 13, 1988; one brother, Daniel Godar; and an infant brother. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 27, 2007, at St. Joseph Cathedral with the Rev. Msgr. Robert A. Kurwicki officiating. Burial with military honors will be in Resurrection Cemetery. Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. Tuesday, June 26th, at Dulle-Trimble Funeral Home, Jefferson City, MO, with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m. Memorials are suggested to the Carmelite Monastery, 2201 W. Main St., Jefferson City, MO 65109; or St. Joseph Cathedral School Foundation, 2301 W. Main St., Jefferson City, MO 65109. Those wishing to email tributes or condolences to the family may do so at the www.dulletrimble.com website.