Ronald Goodacre

Ronald William Goodacre, a.k.a. "Bill/Poppy/Hockeypuck," died peacefully on April 30, 2025. He was 88. His children, Tim and Jill, as well as his grandchildren Isabelle, Joe, Georgia, Kate, and Charlotte, daughter-in-law Denise, son-in-law Harry and loving partner of thirty years, Chris, were by his side. He died at precisely 4:44PM, a number that, according to angel number theory, signifies spiritual guidance, protection and a message of support from one's guardian angels.

Born in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, on February 6, 1937, to Arthur William Goodacre and Mabel Pengelly Goodacre, Bill grew up in Red Deer with his parents and three siblings: Robert, Marnie, and Joan.

He left Canada on a hockey scholarship to Colorado College, where he met artist Glenna Maxey, his future wife. After college, Bill and Glenna moved to Lubbock, Texas, where he worked for his father-in-law, Homer Maxey, doing various jobs, including driving cattle trucks and managing apartments. Soon after, they welcomed a son, Tim, and a daughter, Jill. In the summer of 1965, Bill opened his first real estate company, marking the beginning of an amazing real estate career.

In 1973, Bill and his family visited Boulder for the first time. He was captivated by Boulder's beauty and the allure of its hockey culture and decided to relocate and start his real estate business there. Over the years, Bill became one of the most beloved people in his community, fostering relationships through real estate, hockey, and occasionally attending parties in nothing more than a jock strap.

Bill was a top real estate broker in Boulder for fifty years. He started his first Boulder real estate company in 1974, R.W. Goodacre and Company, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024. To know Bill was to be in his presence, hear his laugh, and see his smile. He was known for his epic toga parties, snowmobile trips, and summer solstice parties. He would inform anyone in his company the make, model and year of any vintage car that happened to pass by. His stories were legendary. He was indestructible. He survived falling out of a car at fifty-five miles per hour when he was three, running after it yelling, "Wait for me!" He had his teeth knocked out during a hockey game, put them in a cup, and finished the game-multiple times. His entire body and face caught fire as a result of a gas station accident. The stories are endless.

Everyone spoke of Bill's boundless generosity. Countless people recall Bill's selflessness on infinite occasions. When someone was in need, Bill was there. He knew no strangers. His kindness was legendary, and his love for family and friends was boundless. He loved kids- being with them, mentoring them, and teaching them. He coached the CU Hockey Club team. He taught his kids and grandkids how to skate before they could walk. And, as legend has it, Bill could skate before he could walk-a legend now considered fact by Bill's family and friends. He continued to skate and maintained his top physical condition from childhood until he finally stopped playing hockey at the age of eighty-six.

He loved all desserts, in particular, Baskin Robbins Jamoca Almond Fudge, Dairy Queen Strawberry Blizzards and The Cork Mud Pie. He loved black licorice, chocolate milkshakes, fish and chips with malt vinegar and Eggs Benedict.

One of his greatest passions was collecting cars. As a teenager in Red Deer, he collected old cars in the backyard of his home and put them together to make great drivers. He won car rodeos. This led to an amazing, revolving car collection over the years. He loved driving them and tinkering with them. He repaired them when they didn't need repairing. He loved washing them. He even washed one in the snow once to take his wife, Glenna, to a party.

He had a photographic memory of dates, addresses, phone numbers, and, most importantly, friends' and family members' names, dating back to when he was a small child. He could recall every make, model and year of every car he ever owned - a number exceeding sixty.

He is survived by his children, Tim and Jill, as well as his grandchildren Isabelle, Joe, Georgia, Kate, and Charlotte, partner Chris, and a legion of loving family and friends. He will be deeply missed, but all who knew him are comforted by the countless memories of a unique and incredible life well lived. A negative word has yet to be uttered about Bill Goodacre, and based on the overwhelming outpouring of love at the mention of his passing, there never will be.

In lieu of flowers or donations, Tim, Jill, and the family would love for everyone to simply raise a glass in honor of Bill, to keep his memory alive, to think of him with the same joy and spirit that he brought to everyone who was blessed to be in his universe; and, every once in a while, if you happen to notice that it's 4:44, know that Bill is with us, smiling and slapping the crap out of a hockey puck in heaven.