Brookside and the greater Kansas City community lost one of its most beloved and respected members with the passingof Leon Goodhart on June 9, at the age of 82. Born in Lodz, Poland, Leon and his mother survived the Holocaust to come to the United States in 1949, where Leon went to work for his great-uncle, Jake Hyman at one of Brookside’s earliest shops, the Country Club Shoe Store. Leon would take over the business, and operate it until his retirement in the late 1990s. Leon was also the owner of the Brookside Plaza Building where he remained a daily presence and a hands on property owner with a loyal tenant following.He was a board member of the Brookside Community Improvement District, and served as Chairman of the Property Committee.
Beyond Brookside’s boundaries, Leon’s accomplishments were many. He served with the 8228 MASH unit in the Korean War; he was a long-time member of Temple B’nai Jehudah; and he and his wife Iris were tenured ambassadors of the People to People program, befriending foreign military officers attending the Command and General Staff college in Leavenworth. Iris Goodhart preceded Leon in death last February, and both are survived by their children Doug, Julie (owner of Brookside Hairworks), and David of Dallas, Texas, along with their families that include four grandchildren and one great grandchild due this summer.
Leon and Iris are sorely missed in Brookside and throughout the entire community.