John Bernard Gooding Sr., 99 years, 7 months old, boarded the train for Heaven Sunday Morning 10-14-2018. John was born in Hampton County S.C. in the "Miley Section" on 3-27-1919 to the late Bennie Abraham and Corrie Elizabeth Thomas Gooding. John Left his beloved Hampton County as a young man seeking a better way of life and found it in Savannah, Ga with the Seaboard Railroad. Until he could get seniority with the Railroad for full time work, he traveled back and forth the the family farm to help keep the farm going. John retired from CSX Railroad after 40 plus years of service. Being a man that was used to being on the move, he volunteered over 5000 hours at Candler Hospital as well as visiting shut ins at the area Nursing Homes and at individual homes. John was a quiet man that loved the LORD with all his heart and joined Calvary Baptist Temple in 1949 when it was on Bull Street and was very active in the church and Sunday school class and served many years as a usher. In addition to being very active in the church, he was a member of Acacia Lodge #452 (Master Mason) Scottish rite, Alee Temple (President of Chanters) and the Brother of Locomotive Engineers. John loved to fish and spent many hours on the water with some of his good friends fishing. When his son was young he was always included in the fishing trips. He also loved to have a large garden and would share his vegetables with family and friends. Many years ago the Savannah News press had an article entitled: Good Neighbor John Gooding, that a neighbor had submitted because of all the vegetables their family had received from John. He also loved to grow roses in his yard on Tibet Ave. In his later years John moved to Savannah Commons and for the last two years he has made his home in Collins, Ga with his daughter and son-in-law.

John was preceded in death by the love of his life Mildred Cleland Gooding; sister, Ruth Emma Gooding Brinson; brothers, William Henry "Bill" Gooding and Lewis Benjamin "Sam" Gooding and a very dear friend Nina Hamm.

Survivors include: his son John B. Gooding Jr. of Savannah, Ga and his daughter Brenda G. Cowart and her husband James B. "Jim" Cowart of Collins, Ga and two step-grandchildren and two step-great- grandchildren as well as many cousins, nieces, nephews, and great friends.

Visitation: 12 pm to 1 pm Thursday October 18, 2018 at Baker McCullough Funeral Home- Hubert C. Baker Chapel.

Funeral Service: 1 pm Thursday October 18, 2018 at Baker McCullough Funeral Home- Hubert C. Baker Chapel.