Benjamin Goldie

Benjamin Goldie, 85, longtime Cle Elum resident and business owner, passed away at his home on Thursday, January 2, 2025 surrounded by his loving family. Viewing will be from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Monday, January 20 at Johnston & Williams Funeral Home in Cle Elum. Ben’s funeral will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 21 at the Cle Elum Community Church with Johnny Graf officiating. Entombment will take place at Laurel Hill Memorial Park and a reception will follow at the Cle Elum Senior Center. 

Ben was born on January 27, 1939 in Deer Lodge, Montana to Victor & Julia (Evans) Goldie. He grew up in Deer Lodge where he excelled as a multi-sport athlete and was the varsity team captain in football and basketball, as well as a school record holder in track for the mile run. He graduated from Powell County High School in 1957 and went on to attend the University of Montana Western in Dillon, Montana.

After completing his bachelor’s degree, Ben spent a few years post-graduation teaching in underserved communities in Canada and Oregon before returning to Deer Lodge to work as the Director of Education at the Montana State Penitentiary. He would frequently joke about the “four years I spent in prison” but during that time he influenced countless lives, both of inmates and the students impacted by the stories they heard during Ben’s “Life Choices” seminars that he, along with selected inmates, would give at high schools across Montana, Idaho and Wyoming.

Ben moved to Port Angles, Washington in 1969 where he bought “The Salad Bowl” which would later become “Goldie’s Restaurant". It was during this time that he met the love of his life, his best friend and companion, Wanda Keele. Many thought Ben and Wanda were absolutely crazy for eloping to Reno to marry on November 11, 1975, only ten days after their first date, but that decision couldn’t have been more right. In fact, most in the family are fairly confident that Ben hung on until 2025 just so he’d make it to at least the same year as what would have been their 50th anniversary.

Ben and Wanda moved their family to Cle Elum in September of 1986 when they bought The Cottage Cafe. From developing his own personalized recipes (such as his famous corn beef and hash) to the friendships he developed with so many over the years, Ben loved The Cottage and all that came with it. He was honored to serve as the President of the Washington Restaurant Association in 1994. Ben never really “retired” and the restaurant continues to be owned and operated by the Goldie family to this day.

Public and civic service were high priorities of Ben’s and he was very active over the years in the Cle Elum community. He was a longtime member of both Rotary and the Shriners, he served on the Cle Elum City Council and was also an active member of the Cle Elum Downtown Association. One of his greatest accomplishments was helping to create the drive and vision for Cle Elum’s downtown revitalization project, something that he saw come to fruition over the last several years. 

His love of the upper county was evident in all aspects, including sponsoring countless events, clubs, dinners and auctions over the years. He was also an ardent supporter of all of the sports teams and booster clubs in the upper county. He was also instrumental in helping design and build the kitchen at the Cle Elum Senior Center which was informally named “Goldie’s Cafe” in his honor.

Speaking of sports, you wouldn’t find a more die-hard UW Huskies or Seattle Seahawks fan than Ben. He had the honor of attending both the opening and closing ceremonies at the King Dome and was a longtime Seahawks season ticket holder. At one point, he had over 20 season tickets which, when he and his family couldn’t use them, he would give them to high school kids to go enjoy a game.

Although his health had declined rapidly over the last few years, he never lost his great sense of humor, his giving heart, that gentle laugh and trademark smile. We love you, Ben, and will always miss you.

Ben is survived by his wife, Wanda; children Donnie (Mary Jo) Goldie, Amanda (John Cunningham) Goldie, Bridget (Mark) McBride, Kay (Jeff) Etherington, Victoria Goldie and Brenda (Ben) Piatt; sister Joyce Ask; 17 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren; a very large extended family of in-laws, out-laws, nieces and nephews; and his lifelong friend since middle school, Gary Duff. He was preceded in death by his parents, his daughter Ellen Siefner and his son Scott Goldie.

Memorial contributions in Ben’s honor are suggested to any local cause that directly impacts and benefits the residents of the upper county. 

Arrangements have been entrusted to Johnston & Williams of Cle Elum. Online condolences may be left at www.johnston-williams.com