It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Dilys Grace Goodman, a beloved member of the Friday Harbor community. Dilys was born on November 21, 1935, in Highbury, Islington, a suburb of London, England, to Percival Clive Davies and Emily Grace Davies. She grew up in London alongside her sister Christine Davies, surviving the Blitz thanks to her mother’s courage.
Dilys excelled in her education, becoming fluent in both French and Spanish. She had a distinguished career in the Foreign Service. She served as Vice Consul in Quito, Ecuador, and later was appointed Vice Consul in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Her career took her around the globe and included a fateful meeting with her future husband, Lee Goodman, in an elevator on the way to an English-speaking Christmas party in Venezuela. They were married on August 12, 1970, in London, England. In 1994, Dilys proudly became a naturalized U.S. citizen in Seattle, WA.
After settling in Friday Harbor, Dilys’ love of books led her to co-own Serendipity Bookstore with her dear friend Carol Jackson in 1998. She also worked at Friday Harbor Drug, volunteered at the San Juan Island Library and served as President of the Friends of the Library for many years. She was the librarian for the San Juan Singers under Elizabeth Burton’s direction. Dilys’ contributions to the community were vast, and her British accent and engaging personality charmed many on the island.
An avid gardener, animal lover, and baker, Dilys won blue ribbons for her baked goods at the local fair. Her fondness for cats—especially her ginger cat Hamish—was legendary, and she even converted her husband from a dog lover into a cat enthusiast.
Dilys is survived by her beloved stepdaughter, Kathy Goodman, and stepsons Lee Goodman III and Donald Goodman, as well as her sister, Christine Davies. She was predeceased by her husband Lee Goodman in 2000 and her nephew James.
A memorial gathering will be held on Sunday, October 13, from 2:30 to 4:30 PM at the San Juan Island Library Meeting Room, 1010 Guard Street, Friday Harbor, WA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Dilys’ name to the Friends of the Library, PO Box 786, Friday Harbor, WA 98250.
Dilys will be fondly remembered for her no-nonsense approach to life and her deep love for the community she called home.