Charles ‘C.A.’ Good Jr.

Charles “C.A.” Good Jr., 79, of Diagonal, passed away peacefully Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, at his home near Diagonal surrounded by family and friends. Celebration of Life Services will be 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, at Powers Funeral Home in Creston. Full Military Honors will be provided by Theodore J. Martens, Creston V.F.W. Post 1797. Services will be livestreamed. Private family burial will be in Mortimer - Union Cemetery in Ringgold County. Pastor Brian Campbell will officiate. Open visitation, with family receiving friends, will be 12 p.m.–2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are to the family. Online condolences can be left at www.powersfh.com.

Charles Alva “C.A.” Good Jr. was born Aug. 17, 1946, to Charles “Peg” Alva Good Sr. and Blanche Mae (Foy) Good in Riverside, California. C.A. and his family moved to a farm near Creston. He received a pony as a young boy which sparked a lifelong passion for raising horses. Life on the farm taught C.A. the value of hard work, a lesson he carried with him for the rest of his life. His childhood was filled with early mornings milking cows, gathering eggs, working cattle and bailing hay in the hot, humid Iowa sun. Work hard and play hard became his unspoken motto in life.

He graduated from Creston High School in 1964. C.A. served his country as a part of the United States Army and later as a part of the Army Reserves as his company’s clerk. He also attended college at Northwest Missouri State University for two years.

On June 4, 1967, C.A. was united in marriage to Beverly Conley in Creston. From this union they were blessed with two sons, Todd and Chad. They settled in Creston where he worked as a shift manager in a Hy-Vee store, mastering every aspect of the grocery business. When offered his own store he declined, refusing to uproot his family. They later divorced.

He transitioned to a career at Wellman Dynamics, working as a core maker which allowed him to tend to his horses. He never missed one of his sons’ sporting events, baseball, football or wrestling, home or away. There was no sacrifice he would not make for his family.

C.A. was deeply involved with the Arrowhead Appaloosa Association, serving in numerous board roles, including president and vice president. He cherished the friendships, competition and the community that came with the horse world. Above all, he loved raising baby colts and fillies. His knowledge of horses was vast, and he shared it generously with anyone eager to learn. He trained horses, coached riders, especially youth — and donated countless hours helping others. There was never a person in need he would not help. In return, he could always rely on neighbors, friends and family whenever he needed support. When the physical demands of training and showing horses became too great, and after retiring from his 20-plus years at Wellman Dynamics, he shifted to judging horse shows across Iowa, including many county fairs. He often declined compensation, saying simply, “Just donate it to the local 4-H club.”

On Jan. 4, 2009, C.A. was united in marriage to Teresa Kay Parker in Creston at the Abundant Life Family Church. They lived in many locations in Union and Madison counties before settling on the farm south of Creston in 2019.

C.A. had been a member of the First Christian Church in Creston and later became a member of the Abundant Life Family Church. While working at Wellman Dynamics, he was a member of the G.M.P. Union. In 2008, he became active in the Iowa Pony of the Americas Club and served on the Iowa Board of Directors and served on the Board of Directors for the Breeders Club Futurities until his passing. He received his P.O.A. judging cards and continued traveling around three states judging and showing in P.O.A. shows. In the horse community, C.A. formed lifelong friendships with Larry and Crystal Meyers, Jackie Guthrie, Jackie Hall and many more, too numerous to list. You know who you are.

In his later years, C.A. bravely overcame esophageal cancer and was later diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, which took a significant toll on his physical health. Despite these challenges, he remained mentally sharp, positive and determined. Among the blessings of this period was discovering and forming a meaningful relationship with his sister Pamela through DNA genealogy matching. He and Teresa made joyful trips to Ohio to spend time with her, sharing experiences that became some of the highlights of his life. His love for his family carried on as he poured into the lives of his grandchildren. Papa was one of their greatest and most enthusiastic supporters.

C.A. is survived by his wife Teresa Good of Diagonal; his seven children: Todd (Maria) Good of Winterset, Chad (Christy) Good of Marion, Liz (James) Sparks of Grimes, John (Natalie) Hoyt of Newton, Rachel (Mohamad) Hoyt of Des Moines, Jared (Hannah) Hoyt of Creston and Jordan Hoyt of Spangdahlem Air Force Base, Germany; 11 grandchildren; one sister, Pam (Karl) Link of Dayton, Ohio; two brothers-in-law, Gary and Randy Parker of San Rosa, California; sister-in-law Jeanette Pettit of Diagonal and many other extended family and friends.

C.A. was preceded in death by his parents and five grandchildren.