George B. Goulard, devoted husband, father, grandfather, Army veteran, chef, and lifelong gentleman passed away peacefully on May 20th at the age of 91, surrounded by the love of his family.  

Born in 1934 in Avon, France, George, known as “Joe” or “Jojo” to family and friends, immigrated to the United States in 1954 at the age of 19. Arriving in New York City with determination and ambition, he quickly began building a new life in his adopted country. He often shared the story of arriving just before the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and being bewildered when he could not cross Fifth Avenue because of the crowds. Though he never became a fan of parades, he deeply loved his adopted country and remained a proud American throughout his life.  

A trained chef educated in France, Joe devoted his professional life to the culinary arts. A distinguished career spanning five decades, he was employed by some of New York City’s most iconic establishments, including the Rainbow Room, Le Cirque, and Le Parker Meridien New York, where he continued working until the age of 72. His craftsmanship, dedication and pride in his work earned the respect of colleagues and the admiration of all who experienced his cuisine.  

Joe proudly served in the United States Army with the 52nd Infantry Battalion Unit Police of the 3rd Armored Division (“Spearhead”) from 1958 to 1960 and was stationed in Germany. It was the very same Division that came through his own hometown in France on August 23, 1944 (his birthday!) to liberate it at the end of World War II.  Joe would later say, “I was so proud to wear the same uniform as those American Soldiers. It was great for me!”  He considered his military service a true honor and carried throughout his life the values it reflected: duty, discipline, loyalty and respect.  

In 1962, Joe met his wife Sally at the Jaeger House, a legendary social hall on Lexington Avenue and 85th Street in Manhattan known for hosting Irish music and dances. Sally often reminisces about how she saw “this good-looking guy”, on the other side of the hall and hoped he would ask her for a dance. Sure enough, fate listened, Joe crossed the dance floor and the rest, as they say, is history. From the moment they met, they built a life together filled with love, laughter and unwavering devotion, sharing 61 beautiful years of marriage.  

Together, Joe and Sally raised three children in Queens Village and later, New Hyde Park, New York. Joe worked tirelessly to provide for his family and ensured his children received a strong Catholic education and graduated from college. He was a devoted husband and father whose presence was a constant source of strength, stability, and love.  

Joe will be remembered for his sharp dry wit, kindness, humor and gentlemanly nature as well as a unique bluntness and an occasional lack of patience. He had a gift for making people laugh which seemed only to grow stronger with age.  

Outside of his career, Joe was remarkably skilled with his hands and possessed a natural talent for fixing things. He loved spending time in his workshop or garage, where he could often be found repairing or solving whatever problem came his way. He took immense pride in keeping his home and surroundings beautiful and was rarely stumped by a challenge. He would even resort to unconventional do-it-yourself methods of home repair which were not limited to placing a stock pot in a drop-down ceiling under a leaking pipe. Upon the leak resuming, Joe would simply state, “Oh, the pot must be full”.  

Joe also found joy in life’s purest pleasures and traditions. He loved gardening (tomatoes and flowers), music (Elvis) and reading. His local library confirmed that he had borrowed exactly 500 books over the past 20 years.  He had a clever system to ensure he would not take out the same book twice by placing a tiny dot on every page 14. He was also known for his exceptional Thanksgiving chestnut stuffing and gravy, which became treasured family traditions. Holidays were made richer by his cooking, his stories and his presence around the table. Additionally, Joe was sure to take his children to see their parents’ homelands of France and Ireland, thus instilling a lifelong connection with their heritage. He enjoyed traveling to warm destinations. Summer vacations included Florida, Ocean City, Virginia Beach, Atlantic City, The Bahamas and Aruba. At home, he would often drive his young family to enjoy an early summer morning outing at Jones Beach before hopping on the subway to work his evening shift in New York City. 

Joe enjoyed chocolate and a good red wine (never ice!) and was rarely one to refuse either. Discarded Hershey Kiss or Baci chocolate wrappers were not unusual. If you dared to offer him a glass of water, he would remind you that it was an insult to a Frenchman to do so. If you asked him if he wanted a glass of wine, Joe would respond, “Would you ask a blind man if he wants to see?” Family gatherings were often marked by his signature toast, warmly delivered and always ending with his favorite phrase: “Praise the Lord!”  

Above all, Joe was devoted to his grandchildren, who brought him immense pride and joy. Their “Poppy” treasured time spent with them and felt great happiness in watching them grow and succeed.  

Joe is survived by his beloved wife, Sally; his son, Patrick and daughter-in-law, Terry; his daughter, Jacqueline and son-in-law, Daniel; his daughter, Colette and son-in-law, Bryan; and his six cherished grandchildren, Brian, Michael, Christopher, Julia, Sean, and Mackenzie. He is also survived by his dear sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Mary, Judy, Pat, Thomas, Claire, Bridie and Barbara as well as many loving nieces and nephews in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.  

He is further survived by his adoring nephews and niece in France: Marc-Olivier, Stéphane, Anne-Isabelle, Frédéric, Jérôme and their loving families.  

Joe is predeceased by his beloved parents, Albert and Eva, his adored brother, Roger, and cherished sisters-in-law Jacqueline, Christiane and Bernadette as well as his dear brothers-in-law Jimmy, Frank, Johnny, Michael, Bob and nephew Brian, who shared the same birthday as Joe. 

Joe leaves behind a legacy of hard work, resilience, humor, generosity, pride in his country and devotion to family. From a young immigrant arriving in New York to a respected chef, honored veteran, devoted husband, beloved father and proud grandfather, he lived a life defined by purpose, dignity and love.  

He will be deeply missed and forever remembered.  

Praise the Lord!