A graveside service will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, at Oakwood Cemetery in Winona, for Maurice Lee Gooch, 83, who passed away at his residence surrounded by his family after a lengthy illness. Bro. Craig Shackelford and Bro. David Dickerson will officiate the service.
Maurice was born in Winona on April 28, 1941, to Catherine Gooch-Bond and Muril Gooch, who passed away when Maurice was very young. His mother later married Mr. Steve Bond. Together Mr. Bond and Maurice’s mother raised him into adulthood and proceeded Maurice in death.
Maurice was a 1959 graduate of Winona High School. He attended Mississippi State University in Starkville, and graduated from Keeghan Electronics in Memphis, Tennessee, with a degree in Electrical Engineering in 1963. Upon his graduation from Keeghan’s, he was employed as the long-time Chief Engineer and a Staff Announcer at WONA Radio in Winona. He later served as an Electrical and Maintenance Engineer at Screw Conveyor Corporation and, completed his working career at MAPS in Winona. Maurice was a member of North Winona Baptist Church.
Maurice is survived by his wife of over 63 years, Peggy B. Gooch, and his son, Michael Lee Gooch (Martha), of Winona. He is also survived by his granddaughter, Dakota Leigh Gooch, and two great-grandsons, Kameron Rodgers and Korbyn Deason; and sisters and brother-in-law, who he saw as his true siblings, Janis Rogers, Mickey Boyette, Sherry Welch, and Sandy Jones.
Serving as Pallbearers and carrying Maurice to his final resting place at Oakwood Cemetery will be Mickey Boyette, Michael Gooch, Brooks Jones, Chris Rogers, Bill Rhine, and Daniel White. Serving as Honorary Pallbearers will be William Travis Johnson and Larry Randle.
The family would like to express their sincere gratitude and appreciation to Baptist Hospice and the wonderful caregivers who provided such excellent, compassionate and professional care of Maurice during the final months of his declining health.
Those individual professionals included: Leslie Ferguson, RN, Karen Blount, RN, Myeshea Davis, RN, Jennifer Baker, LPN, Stephanie Tisdale, LPN, Klisha Shaw, CNA, and Tiffany Jones, CNA.
Memorial contributions can be made in Maurice’s honor to WAAG (Winona Animal Advocacy Group), P.O. Box 6, Winona, MS 38967 or, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
Peggy, you know what a dear friend Gooch was to me. He took me under his wing and guided me through the early years at WONA. He is featured in the book Candy and wrote about Bob Chisholm and the station. I hate he didn’t get to see it come out Nov. 1. I will miss him. Love to you and your family.
My dad Goza Johnson was a cousin to Maurice Lee. Our sympathies to the family. Dad was real close to Maurice Lee’s Mom, his Aunt Katie.
I am interested in the book coming out November 1. Is the title “Candy” and author Bob Chisholm? Do you think Amazon will have it or buy elsewhere?
Thank you, Tammye
Thoughts and prayers for Maurice’s family. We were class mates at WHS. Penny Jackson Rosko