Obituary of Dr. Jon D. Goguen

dr. Jon Dana Goguen, 71, died suddenly on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, shortly after being diagnosed with glioblastoma. He leaves behind his loving wife of 49 years, Cheryl A. Poirier; his devoted daughter Amber D. Goguen and her husband Douglas A. Kirkpatrick of Worcester; 4 brothers, Peter J. Goguen of Limerick, ME, Jay D. Goguen of Hubbardston, Robin A. Goguen of Lunenburg and Alan M. Goguen of Lawrence; 3 sisters, Patricia H. Silvestro of Temple, NH., April L. Gendron of Fitchburg, and Randy C. Goguen of Tracys Landing, MD, as well as many in-laws, nieces, nephews, extended family and friends. He also leaves behind his loving cat Ndebe (Be).

Jon was born in Fitchburg, MA, the son of the late Arthur Peter and Helen (Barholm) Goguen. A graduate of Fitchburg High School, he earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Fitchburg State College and a master’s and Ph.D. in zoology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He began his career as a research associate in the Department of Microbiology at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, and took his first faculty position as Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, TN. Beginning in 1986, Jon became an associate professor of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology at the University of Massachusetts’s Chan Medical School in Worcester, where he studied the bacteria that causes bubonic plague. In semi-retirement, Jon began working for the start-up 3X Genetics, where he helped develop diagnostic tools for myotonic dystrophy.

Jon loved the outdoors and wild places. He spent much of his childhood exploring the woods around his home and later many hiking and backpacking trips across New England, particularly in the White Mountains. An avid traveler, he also enjoyed exploring natural places on many trips to Arizona and other places in the US and abroad. He loved canoeing on local rivers and took several long canoe trips through the Canadian wilderness with his wife. He loved spending time at the off-grid family camp in Maine, as well as annual stays at AMC’s Cold River Camp in Chatham NH. Jon was also an avid bird watcher. He shared this passion with his wife, Cheryl, whom he met at a bird banding facility in Ashby, MA.

Jon had an adventurous spirit with his eyes to the sky. In his younger years he enjoyed skydiving and hang gliding. He has flown many small aircraft throughout his life, and most recently was an active member of the Greater Boston Soaring Club. A highlight of his life was flying the Collings Foundation’s World War II-era P-51 Mustang.

Jon could fix almost anything and had an electronics lab at home and a woodworking and metalworking shop in his basement. He was creative and an inventor, with multiple patents to his name. He had a Ham radio operator license, was an avid golfer, chess player, lifelong learner, voracious reader and deep thinker. In the family, he was famous for his bad father jokes (popularly known as “Goguen jokes”) and silly poetry.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, August 13, 2022 at 11:00 AM at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester, 90 Holden Street, Worcester, MA. A light lunch will follow after the service. There are no bells. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Jon can be made to Science Seminar at Wachusett Regional High School or online to the Worcester Animal Rescue League (WARL). To donate to Science Seminar, checks must be made payable to WRSD with Science Seminar in the memo line. Checks can be picked up at Jon’s Celebration of Life or sent directly to his wife (once collected, the checks will be personally delivered to Science Seminar). Jon was an active member of Science Seminar for many years and enjoyed inspiring and educating the next generation of scientists like himself. Jon was also a cat lover and enjoyed helping his wife raise kittens for adoption through WARL.

Nordgren Memorial Chapel 300 Lincoln St. Worcester is honored to assist the family with arrangements. To leave an online condolence message, visit Nordgrenmemorialchapel.com.