William K. Goolrick (1879-1958)

“Willie” Goolrick was a well known attorney with long years of Vestry service with offices on the first floor of the Bradford building. He service on the Vestry was from 1922-1949 and then 1950-53. The Vestry was dominated in the later years by professional men, such as Goolrick. He served as  Senior Warden, Register of the Vestry, Trustee of the Church, Trustee of the Herndon Fund.   The Vestry noted at the time of death he as was an  “influential advocate of the educational building” which became McGuire Hall.

Goolrick was a practicing attorney for 53 years, graduating from law school  in 1905. He was noted “for his dry wit and humor” and  had a deep love for baseball.  During his career, he was legal counsel of director of three Fredericksburg firms – Farmers Creamery, Sunshine Laundry, and the Mutual Building and Loan Association

Mac Willis remembers Goolrick as a kind older gentlemen who cousin was O’Conor Goolrick, a founder of a school for the training of teachers that became Mary Washington College.  Willis recounted one story where Goolrick heard a verbal argument among St. Georgians coming out of church.  At points it seems like they were arguing over religion and politics. Goolrick said there are two things we don’t discuss at St. George’s – religion and politics.