Solon Goodno

Tuesday, April 5, 2022 4:16 pm

Solon Juel Goodno, 83, of Dubuque, formerly of the Hesper area, died Feb. 8, 2022 at Unity Point in Dubuque.

Solon Juel Goodno was born July 21, 1938 to Olaf and Selma (Morken) Goodno. He was baptized at Waterloo Ridge Church and confirmed at Hesper Lutheran Church. He attended country schools at Waterloo Ridge, Highlandville, and Hesper, and graduated from the Mabel High School in June of 1956. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on July 17, 1956, was at Naval Training Center in Great Lakes, Ill. From there to four different training stations in California. He was a draftsman in the Navy. In 1959 he re-enlisted and was stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, Key West, Florida, and Camp Smith, Hawaii. He was discharged from the Navy in January, 1966, and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on Feb. 23, 1966. Stationed at Syracuse, New York and Washington D.C. Solon was assigned to duty on January, 1970 to Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Saigon, Vietnam. Temporary duty to Cam Ranh Bay Air Base, Vietnam, and Bangkok, Thailand. In 1971 he was transferred to Malmstrom Air Base in Montana.  In late 1973 it was back to Southeast Asia to Ubon Royal Thai Air Base in Thailand.

Sergeant Goodno was an illustrator technician with Pacific Air Force, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing. Upon returning to the states and after a short tour at Shaw AFB, South Carolina. In 1975 – 76, he toured a portion of the United States (Texas, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Montana) with the Armed Forces Bicentennial Vans celebrating the 200th birthday of the United States. He retired from the Air Force in June of 1979.

In 1981 he graduated from California College of Arts and Crafts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, majoring in General Design.In 1982 he spent two years in Saudi Arabia working for Bendix Field Engineering Corp. which had a contract with Directorate of Civilian Aviation in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He later returned and worked at the air base in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. He had traveled several times to Norway, including on trip on the costal Mail Voyage to the northeastern most point of Norway. In September 2006 he moved to the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washinton D.C.  Later he moved to the Air Force Retirement Home in Gulf Port, Mississippi. He spent over 10 years there before moving to the Dubuque area.

Solon is survived by his three brothers, George (Beverly) of Asbury, Iowa, Roger (Yvonne) and Gary (Darlene) both of Hesper, Iowa; and several nieces and nephews.Solon was preceded in death by his parents, Olaf and Selma (Morken) Goodno; his sisters Norma Welper and Ragna Hillard; his brother in-law Reginald Welper; and nephew Thomas Hillard.

A memorial service will be 1 p.m., Saturday, April 23, 2022 at the Hesper Lutheran Church, Hesper. Burial will be in the Hesper Lutheran Cemetery. 

Mengis Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements.

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