E L "Moose" Godwin

E L “Moose” Godwin, 82, of Smiths Station, AL passed away peacefully Friday night, August 30, 2019 at the Columbus Hospice House with his family by his side.

A celebration of life funeral service will be held 11:00 am EST, Wednesday, September 4, 2019 at Smiths Station Baptist Church with Dr. David Kees officiating.  Interment will follow at Lakeview Memory Gardens.  The family will receive friends Tuesday evening from 5:00 to 8:00 pm EST at Vance Brooks funeral Home in Phenix City and again Wednesday morning from 10:00 am to 11:00 am EST at Smiths Station Baptist Church.  Serving as pallbearers are Coach Henry Vaughn, Coach David Zeigler, Coach Shaun Bonds, Mike McManus, Roger Smith, and Floyd Brown.

Coach Godwin was born July 15, 1937 in Selma, AL, son of the late Otto Godwin and Beatrice Kittrell Godwin.  He received his master’s at Georgia State University.  He was a member of the AHSAA, and a member of the Smiths Station Athletic Association.  He was from the top of his head to the soul of his feet a football coach.  He coached at Millry, AL for nine seasons finishing with 59 and 29 record, he coached one year at Flomaton, AL finishing with a 6 and 4 record, and sixteen seasons at Smiths Station with two separate tenures with a 125, 48, and 1 record.  During his last four seasons, Coach Godwin won eleven playoff games.  In 2003, he was inducted to the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame; and went on to be inducted in both the Chattahoochee Valley Sports High School Hall of Fame, and the Smiths Station High School Sports Hall of Fame.  He was an avid hunter and fisherman, and Alabama Crimson Tide fan.  He loved his family dearly and impacted the character of hundreds of young men and women throughout his career.  He was a humble man of terrific spirit and a man of great character.  He was a Christian and a member of Smiths Station Baptist Church.  Other than his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife, Antonia “Tony” Peden Godwin, his daughter, Kimble “Kim” Godwin Ennis, and two sisters, and three brothers.

He is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Patricia “Pat” Crawford Godwin of Smiths Station, AL; son, Barry Godwin of Memphis, TN; two sisters, Revie Huffman and husband Wayne of Elmore, AL, and Carolyn Talbert of Las Vegas, NV, three step-daughters, Allison Martin of Columbus, GA, Lauren Arant and husband Jeff of St. Johns, FL, and Ashleigh Pitzer and husband Dave of Live Oak, FL; two grandchildren, Brett Ennis and wife Hannah of Pike Road, AL, and Emily Ruth Johnston and husband Matthew of Smiths Station, AL, one great granddaughter on the way by the precious name of Abigail, and (4) step-greatgrandchildren, Jeffrey and Hunter Arant, and Claire and Will Carpenter, numerous loving extended family members, and a wealth of many friends, church family, and coaches and teachers in the education profession.

In lieu of flowers, the family request contributions to Smiths Station Baptist Church in memory of E L Coach “Moose” Godwin.