Mildred Dean Goodwin: Eulogy
Little Boy
© 10 May 2009, Reginald L. Goodwin (the last Mother's Day Poem)
the little boy
with cherub face
in blue & ozone tiger suit
seemed as intent on flirting
for my attention
as he is
crawling;
standing (with support);
cooing
& teething on the airport seats
as his parents and I await
our Southwest Flight to Orlando (gate 8).
"Brandon!" his mother commands,
his father stands and gently
juggles him to & fro in
the air to giggles and smiles...
It is Mother's Day,
and, like Mr. Spock in the newly
rebooted Star Trek™ flick...
I've lost mine.
I find myself spying more babies
in an ironic, opposite scotoma:
realizing once
four decades ago
on segregated buses in a different America
in my mother's arms,
such
was
I.
************
The Gift of Faith
Foundational Text: 1 Corinthians 12:4, 9 “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit…To another faith by the same Spirit…”
Hello, Saints. My name is Reggie Goodwin, my wife Cassandra and my sister, Mamie Douglas, relatives and friends. I bring you greetings in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ from New Light Christian Center Church, Bishop I.V. and Dr. Bridget Hilliard Pastors and Pastor Ed Reynolds, on site Pastor of the Austin location.
Thank you Galilee Baptist Church for assisting in raising me and for hosting this home going and thank you, Pastor Scovens; your ministerial and supportive staff for officiating.
You knew her as Mildred Dean Goodwin: Deaconess and Sunday School Teacher; devoted wife and mother. I knew her as Ma. Which, she never liked: it went from mommy to mom to mamma to just ma. She preferred mommy: I wasn’t going to call her mommy as a teenager. My mother gave my sister and the family the Gift of Faith.
Troop 685
You may have also known her along with Mrs. Carter as one of the founding den mothers of Cub Scout Troop 685, now Boy Scout Troop 685. I unfortunately was their problem child most nights: I bored easily and could remember many a night receiving a disciplinary spanking from the Deaconess personally.
The Prophet
I remember: she’d looked delighted at a group of kids in white karate uniforms at a local YMCA studio. She looked at me, five years in age at the time and said: “You should be in karate.” I replied as five-year-olds are apt to: “No, I’m not.” Well, I’ve been in karate 30 years now. I teach at the YMCA. She was right again.
Rolling Pins
A rolling pin is what you used to make the crust for pies “back in the day.” You kneaded the dough and rolled it flat with the pin. It’s usually a piece of solid wood with two wooden handles.
I was fifteen. I’d grown taller than Deaconess Goodwin and I had hair on my face and chin. She called me with her sweet, little voice and I shouted back (disrespectfully): “What?”… I don’t remember anything after that!
The next day, I woke up with a big Fred Flintstone-sized knot on my head. She sent me to school. CPS never called. My answer to any future summons was “yes ma’am!” And, quickly!
The Wall
I was in JROTC at Atkins High School. We’d met the Cadet Colonel and Brigade Commander: he was the highest ranking cadet in the Winston-Salem School System, ribbons all over his chest, really impressive guy. He’d conducted an inspection and review of our group and was shooting the breeze with us. I asked him as a matter of conversation: “How would someone get to your rank?” At the time, I wasn’t asking for me. His reply was unkind: “Your kind will never rise to this rank!” Your kind… I reported this to both of my parents over the dinner table. My father was angry. My mother shook her fist in the air and stated: “You tell that booger-bootch that you can do ANYTHING you set your mind to. With God on your side, I believe you can do it.” As a point of definition: my mother did not curse – under most circumstances – so, booger-bootch in her dictionary was a really ugly person!
The next day at school, I confronted the Cadet Colonel with a question: “Can you read?” He replied, “of course I can.” Without thinking about the consequences of my next statement, I said: “In three years, I’ll be wearing your rank!” He of course, doubted me. In three years, I was Cadet Colonel of Winston-Salem, Forsyth County Schools, my S4 on Staff, Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Milton Murray.
You see, ma paraphrased Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” My mother had taught me the Gift of Faith: the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen. I use this as my motto in challenging times such as these. I hope what I’ve relayed to you blesses you as well.
I have a poem and exhortation I’d like to read. It was written by a classmate from NC A&T State University, Vickie Nowlin: I’d been best man in her and Leon Nowlin’s wedding:
To Our Darling Mildred
How sweet the life of one so true
Mother Mildred your work is done and your reward is due
How blessed we were to have you dear
your courageous spirit, soft words, and corrections feared
Lofty words and poetic phrases don't seem to flow as easily now
for Mom you know all the emotions knotted up inside ...of course somehow
I love you, miss you, need you, even more today....I wasn't prepared for how quickly Mr. Empty and Lonely visited my way....
I'm trying to be strong and prepare the words that are befitting you...I'm proud. To have called you mother....but God's Child is now home in her royal court now. Take a bow for you've done well and you taught us the way. We won't forget all of your wisdom, your guidance, and the strong hands that didn't let us stray.
Thank you today, tomorrow and a million times more...we will continue our journey in time with your cherished memories that we adore
Though sad...We will meet again one day on that peaceful shore..we will celebrate that we made it and enjoy eternal life with Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ forever more..I love you
Exhortation: 1 Thessalonians 4:13 – 18
“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so those also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” Amen
© 10 May 2009, Reginald L. Goodwin (the last Mother's Day Poem)
the little boy
with cherub face
in blue & ozone tiger suit
seemed as intent on flirting
for my attention
as he is
crawling;
standing (with support);
cooing
& teething on the airport seats
as his parents and I await
our Southwest Flight to Orlando (gate 8).
"Brandon!" his mother commands,
his father stands and gently
juggles him to & fro in
the air to giggles and smiles...
It is Mother's Day,
and, like Mr. Spock in the newly
rebooted Star Trek™ flick...
I've lost mine.
I find myself spying more babies
in an ironic, opposite scotoma:
realizing once
four decades ago
on segregated buses in a different America
in my mother's arms,
such
was
I.
************
The Gift of Faith
Foundational Text: 1 Corinthians 12:4, 9 “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit…To another faith by the same Spirit…”
Hello, Saints. My name is Reggie Goodwin, my wife Cassandra and my sister, Mamie Douglas, relatives and friends. I bring you greetings in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ from New Light Christian Center Church, Bishop I.V. and Dr. Bridget Hilliard Pastors and Pastor Ed Reynolds, on site Pastor of the Austin location.
Thank you Galilee Baptist Church for assisting in raising me and for hosting this home going and thank you, Pastor Scovens; your ministerial and supportive staff for officiating.
You knew her as Mildred Dean Goodwin: Deaconess and Sunday School Teacher; devoted wife and mother. I knew her as Ma. Which, she never liked: it went from mommy to mom to mamma to just ma. She preferred mommy: I wasn’t going to call her mommy as a teenager. My mother gave my sister and the family the Gift of Faith.
Troop 685
You may have also known her along with Mrs. Carter as one of the founding den mothers of Cub Scout Troop 685, now Boy Scout Troop 685. I unfortunately was their problem child most nights: I bored easily and could remember many a night receiving a disciplinary spanking from the Deaconess personally.
The Prophet
I remember: she’d looked delighted at a group of kids in white karate uniforms at a local YMCA studio. She looked at me, five years in age at the time and said: “You should be in karate.” I replied as five-year-olds are apt to: “No, I’m not.” Well, I’ve been in karate 30 years now. I teach at the YMCA. She was right again.
Rolling Pins
A rolling pin is what you used to make the crust for pies “back in the day.” You kneaded the dough and rolled it flat with the pin. It’s usually a piece of solid wood with two wooden handles.
I was fifteen. I’d grown taller than Deaconess Goodwin and I had hair on my face and chin. She called me with her sweet, little voice and I shouted back (disrespectfully): “What?”… I don’t remember anything after that!
The next day, I woke up with a big Fred Flintstone-sized knot on my head. She sent me to school. CPS never called. My answer to any future summons was “yes ma’am!” And, quickly!
The Wall
I was in JROTC at Atkins High School. We’d met the Cadet Colonel and Brigade Commander: he was the highest ranking cadet in the Winston-Salem School System, ribbons all over his chest, really impressive guy. He’d conducted an inspection and review of our group and was shooting the breeze with us. I asked him as a matter of conversation: “How would someone get to your rank?” At the time, I wasn’t asking for me. His reply was unkind: “Your kind will never rise to this rank!” Your kind… I reported this to both of my parents over the dinner table. My father was angry. My mother shook her fist in the air and stated: “You tell that booger-bootch that you can do ANYTHING you set your mind to. With God on your side, I believe you can do it.” As a point of definition: my mother did not curse – under most circumstances – so, booger-bootch in her dictionary was a really ugly person!
The next day at school, I confronted the Cadet Colonel with a question: “Can you read?” He replied, “of course I can.” Without thinking about the consequences of my next statement, I said: “In three years, I’ll be wearing your rank!” He of course, doubted me. In three years, I was Cadet Colonel of Winston-Salem, Forsyth County Schools, my S4 on Staff, Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Milton Murray.
You see, ma paraphrased Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” My mother had taught me the Gift of Faith: the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen. I use this as my motto in challenging times such as these. I hope what I’ve relayed to you blesses you as well.
I have a poem and exhortation I’d like to read. It was written by a classmate from NC A&T State University, Vickie Nowlin: I’d been best man in her and Leon Nowlin’s wedding:
To Our Darling Mildred
How sweet the life of one so true
Mother Mildred your work is done and your reward is due
How blessed we were to have you dear
your courageous spirit, soft words, and corrections feared
Lofty words and poetic phrases don't seem to flow as easily now
for Mom you know all the emotions knotted up inside ...of course somehow
I love you, miss you, need you, even more today....I wasn't prepared for how quickly Mr. Empty and Lonely visited my way....
I'm trying to be strong and prepare the words that are befitting you...I'm proud. To have called you mother....but God's Child is now home in her royal court now. Take a bow for you've done well and you taught us the way. We won't forget all of your wisdom, your guidance, and the strong hands that didn't let us stray.
Thank you today, tomorrow and a million times more...we will continue our journey in time with your cherished memories that we adore
Though sad...We will meet again one day on that peaceful shore..we will celebrate that we made it and enjoy eternal life with Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ forever more..I love you
Exhortation: 1 Thessalonians 4:13 – 18
“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so those also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” Amen
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