Former Xenia Municipal Court judge dies

“She cared passionately about her family and friends,” Haller said. “She cared passionately about right and wrong. She cared passionately about doing a good job.”

Haller had known Goldie since 1978 when she first started working for the county prosecutor’s office in the child support enforcement division.

While serving on the bench in municipal court, from 1996 to 2007, Haller said Goldie wanted to make a difference in the life of each defendant that entered her courtroom. Often, she would spend time explaining the reasoning behind the sentence she was issuing.

“She felt she could effect change,” Haller said.

After leaving the bench, Goldie still wanted to teach and help those younger than herself.

“She really never did a lot of things for herself,” said Ed Parsons, Goldie’s boyfriend. “She was always busy doing things for everyone else.”

She mentored some of the younger female lawyers in the prosecutor’s office, Haller said.

“They’ve been really struck by her death,” he said.

In addition to the law field, Goldie enjoyed whitewater rafting. After taking a few rafting trips, she worked as a guide in southeastern West Virginia for a couple of years, Parsons said.

Goldie’s tenure as judge did have some controversy. The Dayton Daily News reported she was twice publicly reprimanded by the Supreme Court of Ohio Disciplinary Counsel. The first reprimand was after she ruled on a case that had been assigned to another judge in 2005. Two years later another reprimand included issues related to arrest warrants for two defendants who failed to pay fines and costs related to court cases. In 2007, Goldie lost her Republican primary re-election bid to current Xenia Municipal Court Judge Michael Murry.

Goldie’s family will receive friends today from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Conner & Koch Funeral Home, 92 West Franklin Street, in Bellbrook. A second visitation will be Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Davis-Weaver Funeral Home in Clarksburg, W. Va. A burial service will immediately follow in Stonewall Park Cemetery, Stonewood, W. Va.

Contributions may be made to the Susan L. Goldie Memorial Fund at any Huntington Bank branch in lieu of flowers.