Mrs. Mary Kate Gooden

In Loving Memory of Dearest Lee, family, friends and all of my loved ones. You know that I was unable to talk with you for awhile, but now that I am home you can rest assured that my voice is back and I am smiling that loving smile you came to like so much because it showed you that I loved you. When I was born on June 19, 1938 in Uniontown, Alabama the sun sure must have been shining because I came into a large family, filled with so much love. So, it is easy to see where I got my loving ways. My parents, Lula and Leroy Dickens had a dozen children. My brothers were Leroy, Perry, Collie, Oliver (who we called Nick) and Robert. My sisters were Pinkie, Carrie, Clara, Reece, Aljean and Hattie Mae. And I made 12. We always loved one another, even to the end. Fun, Food, laughter and loving God was primary. I loved life, learning and being with my family. We took good care of each other. I went to school and I went to church. As I became a teenager and started to notice boys there was a young man who lived a block over, next to the store. Me and my sisters would walk to the store and we were a giggling group so he never paid much attention to us, plus he was a little older. He went off to the Army and when he got out and came home he asked me to go to the movie show with him. I went, but I had to take one of my sisters with me. We dated awhile and then he moved to Detroit. We wrote letters to each other and after awhile he came and asked my daddy if I could marry him. After Daddy asked all the questions about “do you have a job” and “how much money do you make” he said “yes”. After I graduated from high school I moved to Chicago to live with my sister, Hattie. Lee and I got married in Chicago on July 30, 1956. He then moved me to Detroit. I liked living in Detroit. We had a son, Dahyrl and then almost 3 years later we had another son, Demetri. Life was good. I worked some part-time jobs and then I went to Virginia Farrell Beauty School. Later I taught some classes there. I loved styling hair and all that went with it. I opened my own salon and called it Gooden’s New Image Beauty Salon. Some years later I sold it but continued to work there until I decided to take my business to my home. I set up in our basement and did hair there for many years. I didn’t get customers, I made friends. I liked having cookies, donuts and coffee for my friends. We laughed, talked and had a good time while they were there plus they went home with a good looking head of hair. I also worked at night for Home Instead. I loved taking care of the seniors and they loved me. The company also let me know that I was a valued employee and I worked there for over 10 years. I have been a life-long member of the Baptist church. When we moved to Detroit we joined Dexter Avenue Baptist Church and some years later we moved our membership to Springhill Missionary Baptist Church which happened to be located down the street and around the corner from where we lived. I loved my church, its members, singing in the choir and it was me who was shouting out to the Preacher to “Tell it!.” It hurt my feelings when the Director would not let me sing because I had missed rehearsal, but now I’m in God’s Choir and rehearsals are not mandatory. Love, laughter and good food were hallmarks of my life. Lee always made our home beautiful, had a garden filled with good food we loved to cook, and we served many family members and friends. Back in the day Lee and I loved to dance and when we would hear the song “Shotgun” me and my great-grandchildren would “cut a rug!”. But, as will happen, my body started to respond to the years of life and we could no longer do what we used to do. So, we gave our house to Dahyrl and moved to Park House where we met new friends and where I could be taken care of by Lee and those lovely young ladies who came in each day. I am so grateful for each one of them, and also the Nurse and the Foot Doctor. Then came the day when the Lord told me to come home. “Your loved ones, Demetri, Mary Lee, your parents and siblings are waiting for you.” I rose up, looked at Lee and hoped he understood that I loved him and thanked him so much for all that he had done for me. Those others who I left, grieve for me for just a little while, remember the good times we had and the last time we smiled at each other. But, most of all, remember that “It is Well With My Soul”. Mary left to treasure her memory, her loving husband, Lee; son, Dahyrl; grandchildren, Chaunte (Tyrone), Veronique, Miles and Valencia; great-grandchildren, Tyler, Kaitlynn, Khylee, Noah, Zachary, Lourdes and Ashton; her sisters; Clara Maxwell, Carrie Harris, Aljean Naide, and Reece Dickens; one brother, Perry Dickens (Celine); brothers-in-law, Bruce Constant (Daralynn), Dexter Constant and Melvin Constant (Velma); and adopted son, George “Punchie” Trent (Darlene) and their children, Monica and George Jr.; a host of other relatives and dear friends. We pray that you will rest in God’s hands Mary. It is our hope that we will see you again someday.

Mrs. Mary Kate Gooden

June 19, 1938 - November 18, 2022