Leesville’s long-time community pharmacist and local business leader, Don Goins, 74, passed
away on Aug. 25, 2012.
Born and raised in Leesville, Mr. Goins was the middle of three sons of Milton and Elsie Goins. He graduated from Leesville High School in 1955 and was proud to be a LHS Wampus Cat. A strong supporter of LHS and
active member of the Alumni Association, Mr. Goins particularly loved Wampus Cat football and cheering the Cats to victory. He was known to change from a mild mannered pharmacist into a loud cheerleader prone to vocal outbursts aimed at refs who
obviously didn’t know what they were doing!
Don attended LSU at Baton Rouge for two years in pre-pharmacy before transferring to Northeast in Monroe to enroll in Pharmacy school. In 1961, he received his BS Pharmacy degree from Northeast
as a member of its third graduating class of pharmacy.
Upon graduation, he returned to his hometown and went to work in Phoenix Rexall Drugs, the same drug store where he began working in the newsstand at the age of 12. He was quick to say
that he felt it was a real blessing to have been able to come back to his home town and work doing what he loved which was taking care of people and making them feel better. This past summer he marked his 51st year as a pharmacist.
On
August 18, 1962, Don married his best friend, Sarah Ferguson of Anacoco. Together they raised three children and built several businesses. His childhood dream was to own a pharmacy, and with lots of hard work, a good head for business, and the right
partner by his side, he was able to achieve that dream.
Mr. Goins felt strongly that a man should give back a portion of that with which he was blessed and he lived that philosophy every day. He was an active leader in the
Leesville-Vernon Parish community having served on the Vernon Parish School Board, Chamber of Commerce, Leesville Jaycees, Association of the United States Army, and too many committees and boards to mention. It was his deeply held belief that the
most important aspect of service to others lay in remaining anonymous, so in his quiet, unassuming manner he just went about taking care of things because it was the right thing and “that’s what you do”.
The compass that guided Mr. Goins
was his deep and faithful relationship with Christ and in all aspects of his life he tried to follow the Golden Rule. He was a member of Leesville First United Methodist Church where he held down the tenor section of the choir, taught a “short-term”
Sunday school class (for 30 years) and served as the church treasurer as long as just about anyone can remember.
Don Goins is survived by his wife of 50 years, Sarah, and their three children, daughter Cynthia Wann Jeane and her husband
Stephan of Leesville, son Jeffrey Goins and his wife Katherine of Alexandria and daughter Julie and her husband Diego Quesada of Cabo, Mexico. Also mourning his passing are his brothers, Larry Goins and wife Velma of Leesville and James Goins and
wife Jean of Shreveport. He is also survived by nine grandchildren who were his pride and joy, Courtney Dodson, Patrick Wann, Jenna Jeane, Sarah, Tucker and Noah Wann, Katie and Otis Goins, and Gia Quesada.
Visitation will be held from 5-9
p.m. on Aug. 27 at Labby Memorial Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 am. on Aug. 28 at First United Methodist Church of Leesville. Burial will follow the ceremony at the Forest Lawn Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the
Goins Family asks that donations be made to the Methodist Children’s Home of Sulphur, Louisiana and First United Methodist Church of Leesville.
Words of comfort may be expressed to the Goins family at www.labbymemorial.com.