Tom Goff

As a Los Angeles County public affairs officer for more than 25 years until my retirement in 1981, I worked closely with an assortment of reporters who covered the sometimes baffling goings on in county government. I have forgotten most, but I recall a few with an undiminished admiration for their journalistic skills and special personal qualities. Tom Goff was one of the latter.

I knew Tom casually when he worked for the Huntington Park Daily Signal, but we really became friends after he joined The Times and was assigned to head its governmental bureau in the Hall of Administration pressroom. Tom detested bureaucratic or political sleight of hand and, as far as I know, was never persuaded by those who tried to use it on him. He had a reputation of being a bit of a curmudgeon but was highly respected for the fairness and accuracy of his reporting.

During the years he chronicled county operations for The Times, we occasionally socialized and, along with two or three other county staffers, swapped World War II tales, sports anecdotes, and the mystifying art of raising children. At the time, Tom was a widower working very hard at raising his motherless brood. He never complained, never seemed bitter about his situation, never sought sympathy.

The news of Tom’s death, while not unexpected, nevertheless brought back happy recollections of one of the finest men I have ever met. Our professional roles were adversarial and neither of us forgot who paid our checks. But we did share a warm friendship and I shall always remember Tom Goff as a first-rate newsman who was also a thoroughly decent and compassionate human being.

STAN STEENBOCK

Long Beach