Arthur Harvey Goldkamp
Arthur H. (Art) Goldkamp died on July 9 in Kirkland, WA, his family at his side 
supporting him and loving him until the end. He was 83 years old.
Art was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on August 8, 1929, the third son of Louis J. and Katherine Leary Goldkamp. He grew up in Dayton, Ohio, and graduated from Chaminade High School.
He graduated with honors from the University of Notre Dame where he played in the Notre Dame Marching Band. He received a Master’s degree in biochemistry from Loyola University of Chicago, Illinois. He earned a Ph.D. degree in organic chemistry from the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois.
While a student at Loyola he met and married Virginia (Ginny) Stuart. They lived with their family in Illinois for seventeen years where Art worked 
for G. D. Searle and Company as a Senior Research Chemist. He 
was part of the team that developed the artificial sweetener Aspartame.
In 1969 Art was awarded a post-doctoral fellowship in clinical chemistry at the University of Washington and the family relocated to Bellevue, Washington. Art was involved in church and school activities and coached basketball at the Bellevue Boys’ Club, Lake Hills soccer and Little League baseball. In 1975 a catastrophic illness forced his retirement from laboratory research and he did some teaching, tutoring, and investment management. He was fond of playing golf, baseball and tennis and, when he could no longer play these sports, he remained an avid and interested on-looker. Art loved music of all kinds, classical, jazz, show tunes and big band dance music. He played trumpet in a dance band in high school and college.
Preceded in death by a son Kevin, Art is survived by Ginny his wife of 60 years and children 
Robert (Takako) of Kent; Steven (Trudy) of Kirkland; Julie Mauermann (Pat Savatgy) of Bellingham; Amy (Robert) Sauerlender of Olympia; Brian (Naoko) of West Bloomfield, MI; Timothy and Jeffrey of Seattle; and Gregory (Sarah) of Kirkland. He also leaves grandchildren Bradley (Katie), Joseph (Tara), Kevin, Emma, Michael, Lindsay, Leanna, Katherine, Eleanor, Stuart, and Karen, and a great-grandson Nash.
The family will hold a memorial service and celebration of Art’s life at St. Jude Catholic Church, Redmond, Washington, on August 17.
5 Responses to “Arthur Harvey Goldkamp”
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What a nice obituary… and I learned things about Art I didn’t know! He was a very special gentleman, and you are all such a wonderful testimony to him.
Blessings to you, Ginny and all.
Love,
Bill and Barb Meyer
Death is nothing at all.
I have only slipped away to the next room.
I am I and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other,
That, we still are.
Call me by my old familiar name.
Speak to me in the easy way
which you always used.
Put no difference into your tone.
Wear no forced air of solemnity of sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed
at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me. Pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word
that it always was.
Let it be spoken without effect.
Without the trace of shadow on it.
Life means all that ever meant.
It is the same that ever was.
There is absolute unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind
Because I am out of sight?
I am but waiting for you.
For an interval.
Somewhere. Very near.
Just around the corner.
All is well.
Dear Ginny and family
What a lovely testimony of Art’s life.
Seeing his childhood photos is a treat – looks like all the little Goldkamps in the Woodridge neighborhood.
Ginny & Art, your love for one another has been an inspiration to all who know you and love you.
Love & Blessings, Carolyn
Dear Ginny, Thank you so much for telling me where to find Art’s obituary. It was a beautiful tribute to a true Renaissance man. I too, learned things about his life that I didn’t know even though I felt like I had gotten to know him quite well over the years that we visited when he would come in to see me. I have always appreciated his wonderful sense of humor and that we both loved Bob Newhart!! I will miss him but feel honored to have known him. My thoughts are with you and your family, Sharon Kelly
Dear Art-San in Heaven and tremendously supportive Ginny-San for your loving husband,
When I first met you for my sister Naoko’s wedding, my first impression for both of you were “Wow! What a tall dandy couple!”. We were nervous at first, but both of your beautiful smiles and Art’s warm big hand and his warm hugs comforted us instantly. I was then delighted that my little sister Naoko is welcomed to be part of such a wonderful loving family and we, the Kinugasa were convinced of her life long happiness with the Goldkamp family.
I will never forget the beautiful sparkling smile of Art-san.
We, my mother Narami now in Heaven and myself and my sister Naoko were overjoyed when Art-San as well as the Goldkamp family members came to see us all the way to Vancouver, Canada while we were taking a packaged tour in 1995.
Art-San, I will never forget your wonderful hospitality then, in the beautiful garden where we all sat for coffee. I was in shock when Art-San suddenly fell backwards from the chair, but even under such circumstance, you got up right away and made a joke about it and kept talking to us happily. I will always cherish your sparkling and warm smile at the time.
I have often saw your happy face on Facebook since then. You have always looked so happy surrounded by your wonderful Goldkamp family.
I would have loved to see you again, Art-San.
Please rest in peace and please do whatever things you have always wanted to do in Heaven.
Takako Kinugasa