Raechel Renee' Goforth

Longtime Astoria resident, community advocate and “Mayor of Uniontown,” Rae Goforth was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to parents Jack Keilty and Bessie Green. Her father was in the U.S. Army, and the family moved frequently. This started a trend for Rae, and she moved many times during her life.

She attended high school in Bellingham, Washington, and graduated in 1944. After graduation she moved to Chicago, Illinois, to work as a model for the Patricia Stevens Agency, where her older sister and husband were settled. She returned to Bellingham to attend Western Washington College of Education, where she met her husband, Frank Ward, and both graduated in 1951.

Rae and Frank’s first school was in San Clemente, California, where they taught for three years. Next they moved to Marin County where they taught for an additional year, making plans to move to the Territory of Alaska to teach in the Native villages for the U.S. Department of Education. With children Deborah, Kevin and Mark in tow, Rae headed to Tenakee, Alaska, where her husband was fishing. That winter, Brendan was born, and in the spring they headed for Hydaburg, Alaska, where they taught for three years.

Rae loved Alaska, but felt she needed to bring the children back to the lower 48, so they returned to Marin County where Rae ran a restaurant for three years. She then worked for nine years at the newly-built Marin Golf & Country Club; first as the food and beverage manager and later as the general manager. Marin was becoming overdeveloped quickly, and Rae made the decision to look north, finding and falling in love with Astoria.

She purchased the Snug Harbor and created Fiddler’s Green Family Pub, which she ran for 20 years before selling and taking it back three times. When Astoria’s Uniontown became a historic district, she changed the name to Café Uniontown.

Rae loved history and became involved in the Clatsop County Historical Society, where she served two terms as president. This led her to create Historical Tours when she finally sold Café Uniontown to Jim Wilkins. What started as private minivan tours quickly became a thriving business of walking and bus tour excursions for cruise passengers and business events and Elder Hostels at Fort Stevens, all showcasing Clatsop County’s history and beauty. Even as others took over leadership of Astoria’s historical organization, Rae continued volunteering at the Flavel House Museum, coordinating the annual holiday tea and plum pudding tradition.

As president of the Uniontown Association, Rae and other members worked with the Parks and Recreation Department to create the Maritime Memorial Park. She organized the first memorial service in 1993, and every year since then. She and other members of the Uniontown Association also initiated the restoration of the Doughboy Monument, and lobbied to get the crosswalk light put in Uniontown. For the past 13 years, Rae has served on the board of directors for the Sunset Empire Transit District, so that the people of the area have bus service.

In 1986, Rae received the George Award from the Astoria-Warrenton Chamber of Commerce in “recognition of unselfish services rendered to the greater Astoria area.” She loved Astoria, and was proud to be known as the unofficial “Mayor of Uniontown.”

Her guidance, love and generosity will be missed by her three surviving children, Deborah Barner, Kevin Ward and Mark Ward; her six grandchildren, Alicia Rodenko, Jasmine Ward, Shane Ward, Brian Ward, Joseph Ward and Brendan Ward; as well as five great-grandchildren, Erika Lundberg, Judah Rodenko, Kylee Ward, Quinn Ward and Grace Ward.

A celebration of her life will be held on Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016, at the Astoria Holiday Inn Express from 1 to 4 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Uniontown Association, Clatsop County Historical Society and Columbia River Maritime Museum.

Caldwell’s Luce-Layton Mortuary in Astoria is in charge of the arrangements. An online guest book may be signed at www.caldwellsmortuary.com