William ‘Bill’ Joseph Gooden

William “Bill” Joseph Gooden, 84, of Cairo, died Friday, Dec. 23, 2022, at his place of residence.

Mr. Gooden was born on April 10, 1938, in Cypress, the son of William Thomas and Ada Belle Snell Gooden. 

He was married to the love of his life, Brenda Solomon Gooden, for 65 years.

A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, he served four years. He then went on to own and operate B&B Salvage (later Midwest Company) in Cairo, a one of a kind business for his area that he built from the ground up.

Mr. Gooden was a long-time booster of the Cairo High School boys’ basketball program. His reverence for the game stretched decades. He will forever be remembered as a Pilot. 

He was an avid dresser who loved to travel. Another of his interests was fishing, his love for which was so great he often could be seen driving around with his boat loaded on a trailer, even when there was no fishing spot near.

Mr. Gooden is survived by his wife Brenda; his daughters, Janna (Melvin) Cornelius and Carrie Bridges; his siblings, Jerry (Ellen) Gooden, Larry D. (Pat) Gooden and Tina Lowry; grandchildren Vichai “Joe” (Shataka) Jangjirawat, Glenn (Leah) Box, Kinley Box-Love, Jareb Box, Shaina (Ed) Glass, Devron (Winie) Bridges, Kevin Zweigert-Bridges, Anthony Bridges, Montez Bridges, Emmanuel Bridges, Harley Story and Russell Bridges; and numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Oren “Scott” Gooden; and his son-in-law, Melvin Cornelius.

Funeral services will be held at Mound City National Cemetery in Mounds at 1 p.m. Thursday. Friends are asked to gather at the cemetery.

Crain Funeral Home in Cairo is in charge of arrangements.