Mary Elena Goodan Endowed Scholarship

The Mary Elena Goodan Endowed Scholarship was established by Mary “Polly” Elena Goodan in 2005 shortly before she passed away at the age of 83. The scholarship supports talented students with financial need in the Spatial Experience Design (Environmental Design) program at ArtCenter.

Polly was a magnet for friends and family, and her exuberant personality came through in everything she did. She gave to everyone on a grand scale, including to her favorite causes: Save the Redwoods League, Stanford University, ArtCenter College of Art and Design, LA County Hospital, Pasadena Garden Club, LACMA, Pasadena Art Museum, Pasadena Art Alliance, California Historical Society, Santa Cruz Island Foundation, and Los Angeles Children’s Hospital. Polly always wanted to have a full house of people, food, and flowers, and she usually got her wish. Polly brought flower arrangements everywhere she went, and she had a huge collection of friends from every part of her life.

She grew up in San Francisco and Woodside, and then went to Westover School in CT. From 1944 she lived in Los Angeles and Pasadena and greatly enhanced those communities with strong commitments. She encouraged those around her to participate and contribute in so many things. Polly tirelessly worked with the Garden Club of America in many responsible positions, including the board. The women of the Garden Club of America supported her efforts to turn her parents’ 1300 acre property in Woodside into the Phleger Estate portion of the Golden Gate State National Recreation Area.

Polly was the oldest daughter of Mary Elena Macondray and Herman Phleger, a powerful northern California attorney who, in addition to founding the law firm Brobeck,, Phleger and Harrison, served terms as prosecutor at the Nuremberg trials, US representative to International Court of Justice (The Hague), as Legal advisor to the Secretary of State John Foster Dulles in the Eisenhower administration, and as US Ambassador to Antarctic Treaty (1960).

After graduating from Stanford University with a degree in Art History in 1943, she married Bill Goodan, son of May Chandler Goodan and Roger Goodan. Bill was the oldest son of May Chandler Goodan, daughter of Harry Chandler, publisher of the LA Times from 1917 to 1944. Polly Goodan is survived by two daughters, Mary Elena Goodan of Alameda, CA and Amanda Goodan of Pasadena, CA, Roger Goodan of Samish Island, WA and eight grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Santa Cruz Island Foundation and Save the Redwoods League.”