Mona S. Goodwin and Chad P. Hemmat
September/October 2026
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Mona S. Goodwin
October 24, 1930–July 14, 2026
Some people are remembered for what they accomplished. Others are remembered for the lives they quietly transformed. Mona S. Goodwin will be remembered for both.
When Mona died on July 14, 2026, at the age of 95, Colorado lost an educator who inspired generations of students, an attorney whose counsel steadied families during life’s most difficult passages, and a woman whose relentless curiosity never dimmed with age. To those who knew her best, however, titles never captured the essence of who she was. She was simply “Mom,” “Grandma,” “Mona”—a woman whose intelligence was matched by her kindness, whose expectations were high because her faith in people was even higher.
Born on October 24, 1930, in Colorado Springs, Mona entered a nation struggling through the Great Depression and came of age during World War II. Those formative years left an indelible impression. She vividly remembered Franklin D. Roosevelt’s address following Pearl Harbor, celebrated the joy of V-E and V-J Day, and often recalled watching an unexplained glow on the New Mexico horizon during the war. History was never merely something she studied; it was something she experienced.
Her parents shaped the course of her life in profound ways. Her father, Howard Sherd, served as the Red Cross field director with the legendary 10th Mountain Division at Camp Hale before returning to education as a high school teacher in Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming.
From them, Mona inherited not wealth nor privilege, but something far more enduring: an unwavering belief that education was life’s greatest opportunity, that hard work was a privilege rather than a burden, and that one’s greatest responsibility was to serve others well.
Those lessons became the foundation upon which she built her own extraordinary life.
Her academic gifts became evident early. Graduating as valedictorian of her high school class, she enrolled at the University of Northern Colorado with a singular ambition—to become a teacher. It was there she met Carroll Goodwin, known affectionately as “Slick” or “Bully,” who would become her husband and lifelong partner. Married on St. Patrick’s Day in 1951, they shared not only a marriage but a vocation.
Their first classrooms were in the small towns of Simla and Douglas County, where young teachers were expected to do a little of everything and often did. Later, after settling in Denver and raising their children, Jeanette and Eric, Mona returned to teaching at Machebeuf High School. Whether teaching mathematics, English, or journalism, she expected excellence—not because perfection mattered, but because she believed every student was capable of more than they imagined.
Former students remembered not merely what she taught but how she made them think.
Many people would have considered that enough for one lifetime.
At 47, while others contemplated retirement decades in the future, Mona decided to begin again.
She entered the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and graduated in 1980, proving that reinvention has no age limit. After being admitted to the Colorado bar, she established a private law practice devoted primarily to family law and estate planning, careers requiring equal measures of intellect, patience, compassion, and sound judgment.
Clients came seeking legal advice. Many left feeling they had also received wisdom.
Through more than four decades of practice, Mona became known not simply for mastering statutes and precedents, but for understanding people. She knew that behind every will was a family, behind every divorce a heartache, and behind every legal question stood a human story deserving respect.
Yet those who loved Mona seldom spoke first of her career.
They remembered the homemade dinner rolls whose aroma welcomed everyone into her home. They remembered delicate finger cookies that disappeared almost as quickly as she served them. They remembered conversations around the kitchen table that effortlessly moved from world affairs to literature to family stories. They remembered her wit, her calm counsel, and her remarkable ability to make difficult problems seem manageable.
She had a gift for making people believe in themselves.
Friends sought her advice because it was honest without being harsh. Family depended upon her because she offered strength without demanding recognition. Her clients remembered her because of her sound and compassionate legal advice.
Education, for Mona, was never confined to continuing legal education or classrooms.
She remained a student of the world throughout her life—reading widely, following current events closely, asking thoughtful questions, and refusing to let age diminish her curiosity. She believed learning was not preparation for life; learning was life itself.
Mona was preceded in death by her beloved parents, Howard and Miriam Sherd; her husband of many years, Carroll Goodwin; her cherished sister, Peggy; and her longtime legal assistant, JoAnne Barnett.
She is survived by her daughter, Jeanette; her son, Eric, and his wife Cathy; her grandsons Gregory (Michelle), Drew (Hope), and Keenan (Ariel); her adored great-granddaughters, Evangeline and Eliza; and her niece, Stephanie.
Those who inherit Mona’s legacy inherit far more than memories. They inherit an example of resilience, lifelong learning, quiet integrity, and generous service. She demonstrated that one can have multiple callings in a single lifetime, that beginnings need not be confined to youth, and that the greatest influence often comes not through fame, but through everyday acts of excellence and kindness repeated over decades.
The measure of a life is often found in those left behind.
In classrooms across Colorado, former students still carry lessons she taught. In families she guided through life’s most difficult decisions, her wisdom endures. Around dinner tables, stories that begin with “Mona always said . . .” will continue to be told for generations.
Few people leave the world larger than they found it.
Mona Goodwin did.
—Submitted by Steven R. Warden, Steven R. Warden LLC
Chad Patrick Hemmat
April 16, 1966–July 22, 2026
Chad Patrick Hemmat, aged 60, of Littleton, passed away on July 22, 2026, after a courageous battle with cancer. Born on April 16, 1966, Chad was a respected attorney and a founding partner at Anderson Hemmat LLC. Over his 35-year career, he became known as an exceptional trial attorney, mentor, and friend to many in the legal community and for the genuine care he showed his clients and staff.
Chad graduated from Golden High School and went on to earn degrees from Colorado State University and the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Beyond his professional achievements, Chad was deeply committed to his family. He was a devoted husband to his wife, Julie, for over 26 years and a loving father to his children, Alexander, Avery, and Annika. He was also a cherished son to Bahman and Vernelle Hemmat and brother to Heidi Stone and Shahla Hebets.
Family was paramount to Chad and his primary source of joy. He actively participated in his children’s lives, from volunteering at their schools and sports teams, to travel and encouraging them to pursue their dreams and goals. His dedication to family extended to his parents and sisters, and he was grateful that they all lived locally so they could maintain close bonds. Chad also treasured his close friends.
Chad leaves behind his wife, children, parents, sisters, and several nieces and nephews. Donations in his name may be made to Swim Across America Denver, an organization that Chad and his family have been closely involved with for many years and that funds local cancer research at Children’s Hospital of Colorado. Chad will be deeply missed and remembered for his kindness, humor, mentorship, and commitment to the people and community around him.
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