Wednesday, February 1st, 2006...12:48 pm
Samuel Pearson Goddard, Jr.
Samuel Pearson “Sam” Goddard, Jr., who served one two year term as Governor in the 1960’s died this morning at the age of 86.
Goddard was an important figure in our state’s politics, and not just because of his long tenure as chairman of the state Democratic party. In his single term as governor, he brought civil rights and women’s issues forward in a way that no governor before had (and frankly, few since). He also had some big ideas about the structure of state government that he was unable to implement, but the crew of young Democratic governors elected in the 1970’s, Bruce Babbitt, Jerry Brown and some guy from Arkansas named Bill Clinton, looked to his ideas for inspiration.
Goddard had a deep love for this state, and had an encyclopedic knowledge of our history and geography. I remember him speaking to a picnic at John Pintek’s ranch outside of Bisbee, regailing his listeners with the story of how that county’s party rescued Conrad Zulick, our state’s first Democratic Governor, from a Sonoran prison.
The man was passionate about politics, I remember he was still angry about tactics that Paul Fanin used against Roy Elson years after the fact. This came from his deep passion for issues and the people of the state.
His speaking skills were honed at the University of Arizona, where he was friends with Mo Udall and Jim McNulty. They used to have a contest to see which of the three of them could speak the longest extemporaneously using only legaleese and saying nothing. Goddard would win every time.
Goddard was involved with many charitable causes too, and his stamp can still be seen in Tucson, where he lived prior to being elected. If you ever visit the Unitarian Church on 22nd street, you will still see his name on the main hall.
3 Comments
February 2nd, 2006 at 11:54 am
I’m sure that most of you who have been in Arizona longer than I have (1998) probably know the answer to this so well that you don’t have to post it, but for the education of us newcomers,:
Is Samuel Goddard related to the current Attorney General?
February 2nd, 2006 at 1:16 pm
Yes. “Terry” is from “territus,” latin for “third.” Thus, he is Samuel P. Goddard III.
February 8th, 2006 at 7:55 am
In English, Terry is Sam’s son. Great men both….