Terry Goodman

Terry L. Goodman, age 67, of Marshallville, GA, went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, December 16, 2025. Terry was born on June 14, 1958, in Peach County, GA to the late Bonnell F. Goodman and the late Patricia W. Becker.

Visitation will be held on Friday, December 19, 2025, from 5-7 PM at Watson-Mathews Funeral Home in Montezuma, GA. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, December 20, 2025 at 1 PM at First Baptist Church Marshallville with visitation one hour before the service.

Survivors include his beloved wife of 44 years, Nina Carol Goodman, and their two beloved children: J. B. Goodman and Jessica Goodman, both of Marshallville; one brother, Jeff Goodman (Denise) of Danville, one sister, Tina Wilson (Alan) of Perry, and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by one sister, Janice Borchert and his grandparents, Rev. B. A. Goodman and Daisy Pittman Goodman.

Terry was a member of First Baptist Church, Marshallville, where he had served as deacon, and as a member of the Buildings and Grounds Committee, the Social Committee and the VBS committee.

After graduating from Perry High School, Terry’s early philosophy in life was “Be happy at what you are doing,” so, he changed his profession in life quite often, always moving on to learn something new and interesting to him. He enjoyed working in local grocery stores in the produce and meat departments, with local beef and dairy farmers, and for a very short time, chickens. When he and his family moved to Marshallville in 1985, he learned to farm when working for Perry Farm Service where he enjoyed being a cotton farmer. While in Marshallville, he also worked as a car and truck mechanic and local wrecker driver. He eventually returned to Perry to work for Longhorn Butcher Shop to be close to his children who were in school in Perry.

During these years, he enjoyed spending time with his family and his friends who were always quick to enjoy a fishing trip, a good deer or wild hog hunt, or just a cook-out that could feed a hundred people if they all showed up.

Terry found his real calling in life in 2000, when he bought The Vegetable Basket in Marshallville, a small restaurant where he could spend all day with his family and his friends and work at the same time. He opened every morning serving breakfast to people headed to work and school children headed to school. He looked forward every day to his lunch crowd, knowing they would come in with an appetite and a story to tell. He enjoyed being able to cook for the local churches in times of celebration or in times of loss of family. Owning his own restaurant gave him time to cook for the Westfield Booster Club and the football teams, which he enjoyed with as much passion as building his own race car and going to the drag strip with his buddies from Marshallville.

Later in life, Terry enjoyed Braves baseball and Georgia football. Terry was smiling big as he cheered the Bulldogs to victory over Alabama in the 2025 SEC Championship game.

Terry loved God, his family, his friends, and his community, He was always willing to help and trying to bring smiles to people’s faces. So please smile when you think of him.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like for memorials to go to the First Baptist Church Marshallville or Marshallville Methodist Church Cemetery Fund, or The Westfield Schools, Perry, GA.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Watson-Mathews Funeral Home in Montezuma, Ga.