Obituaries

March 25, 1931 to February 17, 2021

WINAMAC - William Charles “Bill” Goble, 89, of Winamac, longtime Winamac businessman and community leader, passed away at 11:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 17, at Franciscan Health Hospital in Lafayette.

He was born on March 25, 1931 in Moline, IL to the late Orland and Kathryn Miller Goble. Bill, his sister Anasue and his parents moved to Winamac from Illinois to be closer to family when he was still a young boy. He attended Winamac High School where he played on the basketball and baseball teams, and then attended Indiana University where he graduated in 1953 from the school of business. He married Sandra Sue Dillman on June 15, 1957. She preceded him in death.

He is survived by:
Bradley D. (Lorri) Goble, Winamac, Son
J. Kirby (Henry) Goble, Indianapolis, Son
Suzanne Goble, Daughter-in-law
Rebecca Goble, Daughter-in-law
Grandchildren: Hunter Goble, Shelby Goble, Samantha Goble, Savanna Goble, Brandy (Kyle Sefchek) Goble, Hanna Goble, and Palmer Goble.
Great-Grandchildren: Cash Goble, Kayson Goble, and Scout Sefchek.
His faithful English Bulldog, Casey Goble

Preceded in death by:
Anasue Goble, Sister
William O. “Billy” Goble, Son
Gregory C. “Greg” Goble, Son
Blake Bradley Goble, Grandson

Mr. Goble was a hard worker who could almost always be found at his car dealership or running around town in his bright red GMC truck - except from 10 to 11 a.m. every day when he would gather with other local businessmen at the coffee shop for the latest gossip and farm reports. Each week for over 50 years this group of men would meet six days a week for coffee, liar’s poker and a three coin toss to see who paid for the coffee that day. He was known to throw very festive Christmas parties at the dealership back in the day … anyone who ever attended one knows about that. He was a proud family man.

As a community-minded individual, Mr. Goble was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Kiwanis Club, the Moose Lodge, the Shriners and the Masonic Order. He was a member of Royal Center Lodge #585 F&AM. He received his Award of Gold in March 2004. Along with his wife, he founded the annual William Orland (Billy) Goble which is awarded to Winamac Community High School recipients. The couple also funded construction of a river overlook at Tippecanoe State Park in memory of their son Greg.

As an entrepreneur, Mr. Goble was also very active in the business community. He started his Winamac business career as a young boy selling rides to friends on his pet pony. As a young teen he was the usher at the local ISIS movie theater and head bag/stock boy at the A&P grocery store. While at IU, he was an active member in Sigma Chi Fraternity, Lambda Chapter, serving as pledge trainer and house manager. He was also team manager for the IU baseball team. He was lettered and a member of the I-Man’s Club. He and wife Sandy shared in their love of being loyal IU alumni and attending homecoming football games in Bloomington. He, of course, was also a typical IU Hoosier Basketball fan.

When he returned to Winamac after college, he became the local beer distributor. There was never a time when he’d stop in at Bill & Babes that he wouldn’t tell the stories of his good old delivery days where he would often deliver beer to them as a young man. Later, he became an accomplished property developer, property manager, new car dealer and farmer. He also was owner of the Broken Arrow campground at one time, served as a member of the board of directors for Key Bank, the board of the Winamac airport and the Pulaski County Alcoholic Beverage Committee. He was a founding member of the local men’s Investment Club and a member of the National Automobile Dealers Association. Over his lifetime he was honored, recognized and awarded with several General Motors milestones.

Mr. Goble was also an accomplished pilot who based his green Cessna at Aren’s Field airport. He would regularly go for Sunday flights over the family farms and up to Lake Michigan after buzzing his wife Sandy at the house. He would never miss the opportunity to make a landing at a weekend fly-in pancake & sausage breakfast at various airports with friends and family. He even flew his Cessna on a cross-country trip from Winamac all the way to the Bahamas and back with the help of his friend John Kelly who was a World War II, B-52 Navigator and owner of the local ACE hardware store.

Mr. Goble enjoyed his social time as a member of the Indiana Society of Chicago. As an avid golfer he could be found out at Moss Creek every Wednesday night men’s league and Sunday afternoon in his bright red golf cart. And of course, he loved spending time at his home in Key West. This was more than just a part-time respite for him. His first experience was as an 18-year-old when he and Jesse Spurgeon, along with some other local high school boys, hitchhiked from Winamac to Key West. He would always delight listeners with the memory of the $25 round trip flight from Key West to Cuba with a three-night hotel stay and all the rum one could drink. He would spend weeks at time at Key West with his parents, his sister and later on with his loving wife Sandy, all with whom he made many lasting memories. He was also a lover of dogs and had a soft spot for English Bulldogs and Boxers. Over the years Homer, Hector, Barney, Chrissy, Duke, Jack, Einstein and Casey would be seen sitting shotgun going for a Sunday afternoon ride with Bill.

Private services will be held at Frain Mortuary in Winamac. Private burial will be at Winamac Cemetery (McKinley Addition) in Winamac.

Memorial donations may be made to the Community Foundation of Pulaski County  - for the William O. “Billy” Goble Scholarship and/or for the First United Methodist Church of Winamac. (The church fund was created by Bill and Sandy to honor the memory of their parents Orland and Kathryn Goble and Ernest and Gertrude Dillman.)

Online condolences may be offered in the guestbook at www.frainmortuary.com.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Frain Mortuary in Winamac.