Kemper Goffigon III

KEMPER GOFFIGON III NAVY CROSSRECIPIENT BA’41, LLB’48, L/M

Kemper Goffigon III, retired lawyer, farm equipment dealer, and gentleman farmer passed away on December 10, 2019, at Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital. He was 100 years old.

He was born September 7, 1919, at Farmer’s Delight Farm in lower Northampton County near Cape Charles, Virginia. He was the twelfth generation of Goffigons to own and live at Farmer’s Delight. His father was Kemper Goffigon, Jr., who represented Capeville District in Northampton Co., Virginia, for thirty-four years as a member of the Board of Supervisors. His mother was Fannie Cooke Goffigon, a native of Louisa County, Virginia.

Mr. Goffigon attended the University of Virginia, receiving his undergraduate degree in 1941 and his LL.B. degree in May 1948 after the conclusion of World War II. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon social fraternity and the Phi Alpha Delta legal fraternity. He had been a member of the Virginia Student Aid Foundation since its inception and was a member of the Thomas Jefferson Society of Alumni.

Mr. Goffigon was a Navy veteran of World War II. He served in the Atlantic and Pacific Theaters of the War, commanding three U.S. Naval ships. He was awarded the Navy Cross for distinguishing himself by extraordinary heroism in action against the enemy in the Southwest Pacific off New Britain Island during a dive-bombing attack concentrated on the U.S. Naval transport he commanded. The Navy Cross is the second highest military award for heroism in action against the enemy. His Navy Cross was awarded by direction of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He was awarded the Purple Heart forwounds received on December 26, 1943, in the Southwest Pacific Theater of War. He was awarded numerous campaign ribbons and battle stars during the war. At the conclusion of World War II, and at the conclusion of his Naval career, he was honorably discharged with the rank of Lieutenant Commander, USNR.

After World War II, he returned to Law School at the University of Virginia and received his law degree two years later. He was a member of the Virginia State Bar since 1947, and practiced law in Eastville, Virignia with the firm Nottingham and Goffigon doing general practice of law.

At the beginning of the Korean War in 1950, Mr. Goffigon was recalled to active duty as Judge Advocate in the U.S. Air Force. He served as a Senior Legal Officer, Senior Claims Officers, and Chief of Legal Assistance on the Judge Advocate Staff of Headquarters Flying Training Air Force at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, from 1950 through 1953. Upon the termination of the Korean War, he was honorably discharged as a Korean War Veteran with the rank of Major, USAF, and returned to his native Eastern Shore to join his father in the farm equipment business. He eventually became owner of Goffigon Equipment Company, along with his extensive farming operation. He retired in 1986.

Mr. Goffigon was a lifelong member of Holmes Presbyterian Church in Cheriton, Virginia and he served for many years as Superintendent of the Sunday School, Chairman of the Board of Decans, an Elder, and a member of the Session. He taught Sunday School for a number of years and was Trustee of Holmes Church.

He was a former member of the Northampton County School Board, and a former member of the Board of Directors of Broadwater Academy. He was a former President of the Cape Charles-Northampton County Chamber of Commerce, and for years was President of the Cape Charles Angler Club. He was an avid saltwater sport fisherman and duck hunting enthusiast. He held many saltwater sport fishing awards and was always active in sporting, social, and business functions on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

Mr. Goffigon was predeceased by his beloved wife, Marion Hickson Prince Goffigon, to whom he was married for 48 wonderful years. He is survived by a daughter, Elizabeth Cary Goffigon Cridlin, and her husband William Gregory Cridlin, Jr., their children, William G. Cridlin, III, his wife, Robyn, and children Anna and William, and daughter, Marion Cridlin Wheeler, her husband Jason, and children Adelaide, Wren and Emerson, and his son, Kemper Goffigon IV, his wife, Elizabeth Savage Goffigon, and children Caroline Cooke Goffigon and Staige Davis Goffigon, of Edgewood Farm near Cape Charles.

The funeral will be held at 11:00 AM on Monday, December 23, 2019, at Holmes Presbyterian Church in Cheriton, Virginia with Pastor Charlotte Elia officiating. Interment will be private in the Cape Charles Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Cape Charles Rescue Service, P.O. Box 3009, Cheriton, Virginia 23316; to Holmes Presbyterian Church Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 258 Cheriton, Virginia 23316; or to any charity of choice.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.doughtyfuneralhome.com

Arrangements made by Wilkins-Doughty Funeral Home in Cape Charles, Virginia.