The Honorable Donald Raymond Gootee, former Mayor of Raritan Township, NJ, age 83 years, died peacefully on Thursday, December 30, 2021 at Hunterdon Care Center, Raritan Township, NJ.

Born in Evansville, IN, August 13, 1938, son of the late George and Selma Eberhard Gootee, Don had resided in the area for more than fifty-seven years.

Outgoing, passionate, dedicated, and selfless are but a few descriptors of the man that was unforgettable by anyone who shook his hand and was made to smile by this larger than life character.

Employed for many years by the Flemington Department Store and The Carpet Center, working in a small town afforded Don the opportunity to get to know everyone. With his outgoing persona, he used to jokingly be called “The Mayor” by many, and eventually Don found himself wanting to fight for the betterment of his community; he ran and was elected for several terms as a member of the Raritan Township Committee, and also served several terms as Mayor. He was well-respected for his candor and willingness to fight for what he believed in and was proud that though he and the other members could go several ‘”rounds'” when they disagreed, they nevertheless always agreed on being respectful at all times to one another and to the community. These “civic lessons” that he felt he and all those on the committee taught each day by their actions in service to others, was a hallmark of his community service.

Selfless service was at the heart of who Don was, and in addition to his large and loving family, a primary component of the legacy he crafted. A United States Navy veteran, he served as a Navy Medic and was proud of the skills he learned during that time. He would use this training over the years to serve the community in various ways, most notably as Emergency Management Coordinator for the Township of Rartitan Office of Emergency Management, where he oversaw the growth and development of the Township’s emergency preparedness programs. After stepping down as Coordinator to allow the next generation to lead, which he felt was very important, Don continued to serve as a Deputy Coordinator for many years, ‘retiring’ only several years ago but still always lending his ‘wisdom’ to the up and coming leaders of the team. He was also a proud Court Officer for the Raritan Township Court, a position he held for many years. He was known by all to be fair and always ensured that the court ran smooth and safe.

A passionate outdoorsman, Don loved to hunt and fish and was a longtime member of the Croton Rod & Gun Club. From small game to large game, from bucolic streams to the waves of the Atlantic Ocean, Don enjoyed making memories with his family while respecting the animals at the same time. As he grew older and had more difficulty getting around, he learned to truly appreciate just sitting and watching the animals in their habitat. He would sit and watch the birds and rabbits play for hours on end, regaling his family with stories about their interactions.

Family was an integral part to the man behind the cheesy grin and often times funny jokes. Marrying Barbara Mary Thurston, the young couple would have three children and as they were doing all the things a young family would do during that era, Don suddenly found himself a widower, with Barbara passing away in 1974. His heart was broken, but Don being who he was, knew that raising his children with love, and ensuring that they each understood to respect others, would be the best way to honor their mother’s life.

It would be a few years later that Don would meet a young widow, Irene Malicki Salemo, who found herself in a similar situation as him, with three young children trying to figure out life as a single parent. The two found a spark of love that united their hearts almost instantly, and soon a “Brady Bunch” family was formed. Married in the Flemington Baptist Church by Rev. Dr. Robert H. Roberts on March 27, 1976, the two shared forty-two years of, “Heaven on Earth” as Don recalls. “If you didn’t know her, you missed out on knowing a wonderful person and my best friend,” Don once said. True companions, they simply completed each other. Irene’s passing on September 1, 2018 with Don by her side was difficult for him, but he found himself supported by the couple’s six children and the large family that had been created by their love.

A proud father and even prouder “Pop-Pop” to his twelve grandchildren and their companions, as well as his five great grandchildren, Don lived the last several years of his life in a state of true contentment, knowing that he did, to the best of his ability, what God had wanted him to do over the years. Instead of complaining about the many trials and obstacles placed before him during his life, Don lived each day, “doing onto others as you would want done unto you.” He set an example of compassion and respect that the future generations would do wise to follow.

Psalm 139: 13-16 reads, For You created my innermost parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, because I am awesomely and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret, and skillfully formed in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my formless substance; And in Your book were written all the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them. Don knew the meaning of these words, and fought hard each day to ensure he was bringing God’s light to the world. He lived with the hope, grounded in faith, that he would one day be reunited with all those who have gone before, in the place promised in John 14.  It is the hope of all those reading this, who will see him again, that he has some new jokes for the day we are reunited with him, as if it is anyone who will be there to help show a newcomer the way, reaching out a hand with only the best and purest of intentions, it will be Don Gootee. 

Surviving are his children and their spouses, Lance Salemo and Maria Sheehan, David and Diane Gootee, Leigh and Sandy Salemo, Anne and John Koziel, Lynne Salemo and Jim Kahlke, and Beth and Chris Rossi; his siblings, George (Butch) Gootee and Malinda (Lynn) Gootee; his sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Blanche and Mike Panko; twelve grandchildren and their spouses, Isobel, Dean and Katie, Desiree and Johnathan, Cole, Lauren, Barbara and Dorian, Melissa, Kristina and Robert, Olivia, Amanda, Christopher and Mikaela, and Malinda and Matthew; five great grandchildren, Abrienne, Paisley, Ellison, Ford, and Carson; several extended family members; and many dear friends.

Family and friends are invited to gather on Saturday, January 8, 2021 from Noon-2:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 38 State Highway 31, Flemington, NJ.

After the gathering, there will be a Life Celebration service officiated by Rev. David Gootee at 2:00 p.m. to which all are welcome.

Burial with military honors will follow at St. Magdalen Cemetery, North Main Street, Flemington, NJ.

Realizing that some may be unable to attend due to the pandemic, the life celebration service and burial on Saturday will be live-streamed, with the stream being active starting at 1:45 p.m. To watch, please click HERE and kindly ensure you do not have a pop-up blocker enabled. (If you are having issues with clicking above, please follow this link: https://vimeo.com/event/1695823).

It is respectfully requested that all attendees wear masks at this event. Your cooperation and understanding is greatly appreciated by the family.

You are encouraged to visit Don’s permanent life celebration site at www.wrightfamily.com to light a candle of hope, leave messages of condolence, share words of comfort and recollection, and post photographs of his life.

It is requested that those who wish to honor Don do so by making a contribution to the Holcombe-Jimison Farmstead Museum, via mail to 1605 Daniel Bray Hwy, Lambertville, NJ 08530. Don proudly served on the leadership team at the farmstead and spent many hours volunteering his time so that the next generations could learn from the previous ones. Any and all contributions are greatly appreciated by the family.

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Wright & Ford, your local, family owned & operated “Life Celebration Home”