Obituary of Durl Goudreau

Durl Goudreau, 92, of Dixon, Illinois died Tuesday, May 19, 2020 at Rock River Hospice and Home, Sterling, Illinois. He was born June 16, 1927 in Kankakee, Illinois, the son of Joseph and Marguerite (Shafer) Goudreau. He married Dolores Scroggins on July 3, 1948 in Kankakee, Illinois. She died, May 10, 2020. Following his military service in the U.S. Navy he attended Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois and graduated in 1951 with a degree in commerce. He had a long and distinguished career in the banking business. His final position was as Vice President and Cashier of the National Bank of St. Anne in St. Anne, Illinois for 29 years; retiring in 1997. During this time the bank expanded substantially under his leadership. Durl enhanced the bank’s connection to the community of St. Anne. Durl always enjoyed a good time. He enjoyed music, especially from the Big Band era. In his younger years he played drums. He was a member of a drum and bugle corps and played with local jazz bands in the Kankakee area. Later he spent much of his leisure time as an avid and accomplished horseman. He cared for, groomed, and showed a Quarter Horse for many years. Perhaps his greatest pleasure came from developing his fishing skills. He turned from baitcasting to fly fishing and spent a series of weeks each summer fly fishing for Northern Pike in Northern Manitoba, Canada. Durl was also more than content to fish the ponds near St. Anne. He was driven by the search for a beautiful surprise. He maintained community contact with breakfast every day at the local restaurant whether in St. Anne and later when he resided in Dixon. He loved his family most of all and considered himself very fortunate to see three great grandchildren come into the world: Cecelia Anzalone, Gabriel Anzalone and Lillian Goudreau. Durl is survived by three children and their spouses; Karla and Donnie Bieber of Wildwood, MO, Kim and Susan Goudreau of Dixon, Illinois, and Theresa Rojas of Chesterfield, MO and six grandchildren; Simonie Anzalone (Mike) of St. Louis, MO, Philip Goudreau (Rhiannon) of Belvidere, IL, Gretchen Bieber of Wildwood, MO, Audrey Goudreau of Dixon, IL, Brandon Bieber, of New York, NY, Alex Rojas (Jessica) of San Clemente, CA. A private memorial service and military burial will be held at a future time when family can gather. Memorial donations in lieu of flowers can be made to: Rock River Hospice- Sterling, River Bend Food Bank, or your favorite charity. READING: “So my time, my life story, I myself have been secure by God’s decree for a long time, from long before I was born and so from all of eternity. And it will continue secure: not only until my death, but beyond it, for ever. Nothing, nothing at all of what came then and still comes into existence and now is, will ever be lost, forgotten or obliterated. I am, I shall live, though I was dead, because my life is secure in God’s hands,” “Call for God” by Karl Barth.