EARL DAVID GOLDSMITH
Viquesney Researcher
May 20, 1930 - March 6, 2018
Viquesney Researcher
May 20, 1930 - March 6, 2018
Viquesney Doughboy researcher, website co-author, but most of all, my good friend, without whose help, this website would never have existed.
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By Les Kopel, Webmaster
I first "met" Earl online in 2002. I was trying to get some information on an old family heirloom, a table lamp whose base was a WWI soldier figurine that said "Spirit of the American Doughboy" on it, and "E. M. Viquesney" on the back. I wrote to various magazines to see if they could help. They couldn't , but one put me in touch with someone they called the "expert" on the subject, Earl Goldsmith. At the time, Earl was trying to find a way to disseminate his collected Doughboy information, even toying with the idea of self-publishing a book. I, meanwhile, had put up a little website featuring my Doughboy lamp, and offered Earl the opportunity to come on board. The rest, as they say, is history. The E. M. Viquesney Doughboy Database website, co-authored by Earl and myself, now receives several hundred page hits per week (quite a lot, considering the narrow subject matter).
On a more personal note, I had the privilege of meeting Earl and his wife Donna in person at two Viquesney Doughboy re-dedication ceremonies in Lexington, MO, and Vernon, TX, and at his home in The Woodlands (my wife Jo Ann and I drove all the way to Texas from Oxnard, CA). It was worth the trip; Earl and Donna's Texas hospitality was unmatched. Earl reveled in giving us the grand tour of the Houston-Galveston area. We will miss you, my friend. 
Earl Goldsmith spent decades on this project, culling information from literally hundreds of people, newspapers, libraries, museums, and research centers, by phone, in person, and by "snail" mail. Describing himself as a "computer klutz", Earl always gave me more credit than I deserved for publishing what was mostly his collected information on the over 140 Viquesney Doughboy statue locations listed on this website.
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 Wentworth Military Academy Doughboy Medal.
Above: The Wentworth Military Academy Doughboy Medal, awarded to Earl and myself, Les Kopel, in October of 2004. Below: A Certificate of Appreciation from the U. S. Army Infantry School at Ft. Benning, GA, awarded to Earl. I also received one.
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From Tom Douglas,
Former Editor of the Spencer (Indiana) Evening World:
August 1, 2005
Good Morning Earl...
What a fantastic website!!!
I can't imagine how much time and dedication you have put into developing this site.
Not only is it a great source of information about Viquesney, you have given a tremendous tribute to Mr. Wesley.
Thank you so much for sharing it with me. I intend to inform our readers today about the site and encourage them to take the time to really dig into the life of Mr. Wesley, Viquesney and the works he produced.
Again, thank you so much Earl.
Mr. Wesley would be left without words... and you know that would take something very special.
Tom Douglas
Editor
Spencer Evening World
Good Morning Earl...
What a fantastic website!!!
I can't imagine how much time and dedication you have put into developing this site.
Not only is it a great source of information about Viquesney, you have given a tremendous tribute to Mr. Wesley.
Thank you so much for sharing it with me. I intend to inform our readers today about the site and encourage them to take the time to really dig into the life of Mr. Wesley, Viquesney and the works he produced.
Again, thank you so much Earl.
Mr. Wesley would be left without words... and you know that would take something very special.
Tom Douglas
Editor
Spencer Evening World
