Born in San Francisco, California, the youngest of five children of Council Goodell, a boarding house keeper and his wife Catherine (née McNeeve.
)[1][2] Goodell, the grandson of Irish immigrants on his mother's side, was raised a Roman Catholic in the working class area located South of Market.
After her death, Goodell married Lucie Reincke in Los Angeles on December 29, 1960, she died in January 1967.
A resident of San Francisco's Sunset District during his years on the bench, Goodell moved to Pacific Heights after the death of his first wife.
[15][16] Justice Goodell died in San Rafael, California, on June 17, 1967, and was survived by his son, Julian.