Joseph Godges

GODGES, Joseph

January 22, 1924 – January 1, 2016

Joseph Godges, 91, died calmly of natural causes on January 1, 2016. As an 11-year-old immigrant from Poland, he had dreamed of becoming a U.S. citizen. He grew up to become an American hero.

Born as Jozef Godzisz in Rozlopy, Poland, he arrived in Hamtramck, Mich., in 1935. At 17, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps. At 18, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps to fight in World War II, although he had not yet completed the 10th grade. He participated in three beachhead invasions in the Pacific, including the 21-day battle to liberate Guam. While recuperating from his wounds at the Philadelphia Naval Hospital in 1945, he was escorted to a one-on-one ceremony at which an immigration judge swore in Joseph as a naturalized U.S. citizen.

On Oct. 29, 1949, he and Ida Di Gregorio, from Mason City, Iowa, were married in Los Angeles. With the help of the GI Bill, he completed a business degree at Loyola University in 1950. He and Ida became founding members of St. Lawrence Martyr Catholic Parish in Redondo Beach, Calif., where they raised six children. His accounting and internal auditing career progressed steadily at several firms, from Douglas Aircraft Company to the Xerox Corporation.

At age 73, Joseph accepted an invitation from the governor of Guam to return for a hero’s welcome for the island’s 53rd Liberation Day celebrations in July 1997. In May 2015, tens of thousands of fans gave Joseph a standing ovation as the Military Hero of the Game at Dodger Stadium.

As Joseph grew physically weaker in the final years of his life, he also grew spiritually more serene. He cherished his days with his wife of 66 years and his frequent visits with his six children and their families. On New Year’s Day 2016, he said his prayers once more and then passed peacefully in the arms of his eldest son.

Joseph is survived by his wife, Ida Godges, of Seal Beach; his children Stanley (and Cathie) Godges, of Las Vegas; Eugenia (and David) Killoran, of Los Angeles; Geralyn Godges, of Seal Beach; Joseph (and Arlette) Godges, of Santa Barbara; Mary Jo Godges (and Renee Sotile), of West Hollywood; and John Paul Godges, of Santa Monica; grandsons Jon, Dan, Max, Mark, and Ryan; and siblings-in-law Ralph Di Gregorio, of Carlsbad, Calif., and Elsie Di Gregorio, of Mason City, Iowa.

A rosary will be held at 5 p.m. Thursday, January 7, at Holy Family Church, Seal Beach Leisure World, 13900 Church Pl., in Seal Beach. The funeral will be held at the same church at 10 a.m. Friday, January 8, with a reception immediately following. I nterment will occur thereafter at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent in honor of Joseph Godges to the Inner City Law Center, a Los Angeles nonprofit serving homeless veterans, at 1309 E. 7th St., Los Angeles, CA 90021, or www.innercitylaw.org

Please sign the guestbook at www.luybendilday.com