‘Vivacious, loving’: Family mourns mother, nurse killed at motorcycle festival

HUMPHREYS COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) – Loved ones are mourning the death of a loving mother, grandmother, and nurse killed at a motorcycle festival over the weekend.

The family of 55-year-old Kellie Goodwin said she was struck and killed by a motorcyclist at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch Friday night. Her husband of more than 30 years was by her side.

“Vivacious, lovely, great soul and personality,” Maurice Goodwin reflected on how he wants his wife remembered.

Maurice met Kellie when she was 18; the two were best friends. Maurice described Kellie as a giving soul, serving as a nurse for more than two decades. The mother of three children was also a grandmother who was a lover of music and a good time. Kellie was known to live life to the fullest.

“I used to joke around with her, saying she was 55 thinking she was 25,” Kellie’s daughter, Ivey Gilreath, laughed with tears in her eyes.

Kellie & Maurice loved to travel the country for festivals and that’s what brought the couple from South Carolina to Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills.

“We had four great days actually,” he said of camping, laughing, and dancing at the Tennessee Motorcycles and Music Revival.

Maurice shared a picture of the two dancing, captured by a stranger just minutes before he said the love of his life was killed while walking in the vendor area.

“We were in a stream of traffic, pedestrian traffic, and obviously there’s bikes, there’s golf carts, and what have you, and out of the blue we just hear one pretty much wide open, and I turned and looked over my right shoulder. She was walking to the right of me and one just came up pretty much full throttle,” he continued with his voice breaking, “It was horrific.”

Maurice is vowing to honor his wife as the family seeks justice.

“This was an incredible act of selfishness that took my wife’s life and took away a best friend, a momma, an awesome nurse well respected within the community.”

The grieving family has been given some comfort knowing that Kellie continues to give back, now as an organ donor.

“I honestly don’t know what I’m feeling other than I’m so proud of her for her, what she’s done, for everything she’s continuing to do and going on and saving more lives, because that’s what she did. She saved lives and she is going to continue to save lives,” her daughter explained.

The family is asking for prayers as they look to navigate life without her, knowing one day they will dance again.

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“I know she’s where she’s supposed to be, and come my time, I’ll be with her again,” said Maurice.

Daniel Heman, 34, faces DUI and vehicular homicide charges. Heman owns a fabrication shop in Indiana. The company website said he previously worked with West Coast Choppers.

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