Bertram Dale Goodfriend, Jr.
Loving husband, father, and grandfather, beach lover, Green Beret, gentleman farmer, corporate lawyer, civic leader, antique dealer – Dale was all of these and more.
He was born on March 2, 1937 in Atlantic City, New Jersey to Violet Averbach Goodfriend and Bertram Dale Goodfriend, Sr. and died on February 7, 2024 at St Marys Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota.
His happiest childhood memories were playing on the beach with his friends, fishing from his boat, body surfing, and working on his Lionel train layout. He started delivering papers at age 11 and cutting lawns at 13. Eventually he delivered 600 papers as well as phone books in southern New Jersey.
After graduating from Atlantic City High School he attended Cornell University’s ILR School where he participated in the ROTC program, rowed on the lightweight crew, and was a member of TEP fraternity. During Law School at Cornell he became a General’s Aide to General L. Stahl in the Army Reserve. He joined IBM’s legal department after law school and his first job was supporting marketing in the Midwest Region.
He married Martha Jane Van Wynen in 1965 and they moved to Los Angeles where he was actively involved in a case with the LA electric code. Two years later he was transferred to Essex Junction, Vermont, and their two older children were born in Burlington. In 1970 he began work in New York City where he joined the anti-trust litigation team, reviewing documents and preparing witnesses for depositions in the Telex case. Their two younger children were born in Mt. Kisco, New York. In 1977 the family moved to King’s Somborne, England, where Dale worked at both Hursley, England and La Gaude, France. He loved the pub lunches and the lifelong friends he made there. In 1978 he was instrumental in setting up the Somborne and District Society, a regional history group. He continued to read their quarterly newsletter regularly.
Upon returning to the US in 1981, Dale became the site attorney for IBM Rochester, Minnesota where he was involved with a superfund site and was proud of his role on the team that won the Malcolm Baldrige award for IBM Rochester. He was active on the Hiawatha Board, Civic Music, Friendship Place, Mediation, and historic preservation. He loved his wife, children, garage and estate sales, brick streets, model trains, antiques, and chow chow dogs.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Jane Goodfriend, children Kenneth Dale (Argy), Evelyn Grace (Matthew Kennedy), Virginia Jane Sheridan (Ian Sheridan), and Bernard Gregg (Karin) and grandchildren George William and Alexis Anastasia Goodfriend, Charlotte Anne and Gwyneth Jane Kennedy, Amelia Marie and Ellie Grace Sheridan, and Carolyn Jane and Charlie Dale Goodfriend.
There will be a Celebration of Life at a later date. Memorials can be made to Friendship Place or Hiawatha Homes.
Rochester Cremation Services is honored to serve the family. Memories and condolences of Dale may be shared at rochestercremationservicesmn.com
Dale was a friend, mentor and true character. He was an excellent attorney, for sure, but never took himself more seriously than the job required. My office was next to his at the Rochester IBM plant and he often called out to those in our waiting area “Next victim.” The world could use a few more of his ilk.
Ivan Koves
Dale was a great friend and a down-to-earth individual that showed his friendship day after day and year after year. I enjoyed our conversations both before his retirement and after retirement. I never knew of his military career. He never bragged about his illustrious accomplishments. He was also quite a character with great humor. He will be missed!