Herman A. Good passed away surrounded by the love of his family early on the morning of January 29th, 2015 in Raritan Township, NJ at the age of 92. He was pre-deceased by his parents Joseph and Josephine Good and 6 siblings (brothers Howard and Russell and sisters Tina, Teddy, Sherry and Iris). His dear wife Louise died in January of 2001.

Herman was born and raised in Elizabeth and in his younger days loved to go on fishing expeditions with his brothers and brothers-in-law. He graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Elizabeth and later from Lincoln Technical Institute. Herman joined the Navy and served in the Pacific during WWII, where he was a pharmacist's mate, first class. In that capacity he was part of the first wave on the ground in Japan after the dropping of the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

After his honorable discharge from the service, Herman worked for 17 years at the Esso refinery in Elizabeth and then went on to get his Blue Seal Engineering License in refrigeration and began working for the State of NJ, his employer for fifteen years. In his first job in state service, he was in charge of a boiler room complex in Trenton. He later became the Director of Facilities for the East Campus of Kean University, the position he held when he retired in 1987. He also enjoyed his work as a volunteer fireman in Menlo Park and served as Fire Chief there for 3 years.

Herman was smitten by Louise (nee DiGiorgio), from early on in grade school. Their first date was at a 9th grade dance. Years later, when he returned from serving his country in the US Navy, where he said he "became a man," he won her heart back after she broke up with someone she'd become engaged to. He always said that Louise was the only woman he ever told that he loved. She was a brilliant and beautiful woman, graduating as valedictorian of her class at Baton High in Elizabeth, and after they were married in 1947 he always teasingly said that he had "married up."

Herman and Louise lived with her parents in their two family home on South Street in Elizabeth until they bought property in the Menlo Park section of Edison Twp, where he built the cape cod style home their 3 daughters grew up in. It was a close knit community and a great place in which to raise a family and where, over the years, Herman, Louise and daughters took part in many neighborhood parties and picnics. Herman was quite handy and very technically adept. He did all of the plumbing, electrical and general house repairs as well as performing all of the maintenance on the family cars. He was extremely frugal. From the time he married and had a family, he would put 10% of his income aside for savings. The Goods lived modestly so they could provide for their daughters and would be able to provide for themselves in retirement, so as not be a burden on them in their old age. They moved to Raritan Twp, Hunterdon County upon their retirement in 1987, choosing this location due to its' central proximity to the homes of their three daughters. Herman and Louise enjoyed travelling in their retirement, regularly participating in trips offered through the Hunterdon Adult Education Travel series and making many friends along the way.

Herman was an extremely handsome man, with his dark, wavy hair and beautiful hazel eyes. In his mid-thirties, his hair turned silver grey and over the years, women would comment on his good looks, which was a little embarrassing to his daughter Nancy when she was in college and her friends would comment on how handsome he was. It was often said that he had "Paul Newman" good looks. He maintained his good looks, as well as his full head of hair, well into his later years.

Herman was best known as devoted husband and father who believed in "family first."

He always loved a good home cooked meal. He always commented that the reason he lived so long was due to all the healthy home cooked Mediterranean cuisine meals prepared by his Italian (Roman) wife.

He loved photography, but was not very good at it. He would take pictures of his 3 girls after church on Sundays posing in front of the beautiful gardens at their home in Menlo Park that he nurtured. Unfortunately, he never got the knack of framing his subjects properly and often cut off their heads in the photographs, which he blamed on the equipment.

He had a keen interest in gardening and landscaping and spent most of his free time outside tending to his vegetable and flower gardens. He waged an ongoing battle with the many ground hogs in his yard and those that lived under his deck in his house in Raritan Township. In the end, he fought them to a draw.

He enjoyed wine making, and in his later years, also learned how to brew beer. He and Louise loved to ballroom dance and were quite adept at it. His daughters looked forward to going to weddings and other occasions where they could watch them dance. Married for 53 years until Louise's death, theirs was a true and passionate love affair.

Herman was a hard working, strong and opinionated man who always insisted that what others saw as a lack of filter and sensitivity was him just being "brutally honest." His family and friends took it all in stride and smiled.

After having lived a rich and fulfilling life, and getting pleasure from his daughter's families and his grand (and ultimately great-grand) children even in the wake of Louise's death, Herman stoically endured multiple medical problems over the years until they finally overwhelmed him.

Herman is survived by his 3 daughters, Eloise Alessi of Cranston, Rhode Island, Patricia Good Clark and her husband, George F. Clark, Jr. of East Windsor, NJ, and Nancy Good and her partner Michael Frost, of Frenchtown, NJ. He is also survived by his 5
grandchildren, Robert Gore and his wife, Grace Chitiva Gore, Michael Gore, and his wife Jess Gore, Katherine Twomey and her husband, Jason Twomey, Liz Pridemore and her husband, Eric Pridemore and by Dan Clark. He is also survived by 4 great-grandchildren and by long time family friend Bari-Ellen Potter who helped to care for Herman in his final days.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Countryside Funeral Home located at 724 Route 202 North, Three Bridges, NJ. Visitation at the funeral home will be held on Tuesday, February 3rd from 5 to 8 pm, and again, on Wednesday, February 4th, from 9:30 to 10:30 am. This will be followed by an 11 am Catholic Mass at Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, located at 105 Summer Road in Three Bridges, with internment at the Mausoleum at Saint Magdalen's Cemetery, 94 North Main Street in Flemington.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Alternatives, Inc., at 600 First Avenue, Raritan, NJ 08869 or at www.alternativesinc.org, and click on the "Donate Now" link.