Joe Conley (Who Played Ike Godsey on the Waltons)

I've been getting back into watching The Waltons.  I'm in season 1 right now.

I was looking up some of the cast members, and I noticed that Joe Conley, the actor who played the storekeeper Ike Godsey, passed away a few days ago.  I've always liked Ike!  He was such a nice person!  But I noticed something on an episode that I watched today, entitled "The Dust Bowl Cousins": Ike had a really cold attitude towards those who steal from him!  (Don't we all?!)

Here's an excellent article about Joe Conley.  It has tributes from some of his fellow cast members, Joe's statement in 1977 that he divided up his time between The Waltons and his real-estate ventures, and Joe's observation that people would come up to him, call him Ike, and chat with him like he was an old friend.  Joe said: "I have to remember that for ten years I did visit their home every week. To them I am an old friend or a member of the family."

Joe also wrote a book.  You can find it here on Amazon.  I also noticed that Mary McDonough, who played Erin, has written a book (see here). 

R.I.P. Joe Conley.