Memorial Folder for the Late Roberta G. Goodman

HER STORY

1 Corinthians 15:51-58 51 BEHOLD, I TELL YOU A MYSTERY: WE SHALL NOT ALL SLEEP, BUT WE SHALL ALL BE CHANGED— 52 IN A MOMENT, IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE, AT THE LAST TRUMPET. FOR THE TRUMPET WILL SOUND, AND THE DEAD WILL BE RAISED INCORRUPTIBLE, AND WE SHALL BE CHANGED. 53 FOR THIS CORRUPTIBLE MUST PUT ON INCORRUPTION, AND THIS MORTAL MUST PUT ON IMMORTALITY. 54 SO WHEN THIS CORRUPTIBLE HAS PUT ON INCORRUPTION, AND THIS MORTAL HAS PUT ON IMMORTALITY, THEN SHALL BE BROUGHT TO PASS THE SAYING THAT IS WRITTEN: “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY.” 55 “O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING? O HADES, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY?” 56 THE STING OF DEATH IS SIN, AND THE STRENGTH OF SIN IS THE LAW. 57 BUT THANKS BE TO GOD, WHO GIVES US THE VICTORY THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. 58 THEREFORE, MY BELOVED BRETHREN, BE STEADFAST, IMMOVABLE, ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN THE WORK OF THE LORD, KNOWING THAT YOUR LABOR IS NOT IN VAIN IN THE LORD.

Roberta was born March 13, 1939, in Cambridge, MA to Joseph Greene and Dorothy (Skinner) Greene. Roberta attended the Houghton Elementary School and Cambridge High & Latin and was a graduate of Holy Ghost Hospital School for Practical Nursing earning her LPN December 1st, 1968.

After graduating high school she married Donald (Buggy) Beckford and from that union Nancy, Phyllis and Darlene were born. When her marriage ended and she was raising three young girls alone, she was on welfare which she hated - and was discouraged by her social worker from going to nursing school. This was a time when young women of color were routinely discouraged from pursuing higher education, but Roberta would not be stopped - she went to nursing school at what is now Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, graduated in 1968, and went to work.

Roberta later remarried, had a son Derek, and she continued on as a strong and loving mother to her kids. She made sure they had a solid foundation, bringing them to church and singing in the choir, and she inspired them by dedicating her adult life to helping others - first as a nurse at Youville Hospital, and then for 24 years as a caseworker for Somerville Cambridge Elder Services.

Roberta was a spirit-filled woman with a beautiful singing voice, who was often asked to comfort family and friends with her singing at home-going services. She was an active participant in Community Conversations: A Women's Health Initiative, and throughout her life and work Roberta has continually blazed her own trail. She was fondly referred to as Ma by many, but she often referred to herself as Roberta Good Woman.

She was preceded in death by her parents Joseph Greene (Father), Dorothy Greene (Mother), sister Josephine Greene and daughter Nancy Beckford.

She leaves to cherish her memory her children Phyllis Beckford, Darlene (James) Pearson, Derek Goodman; her sister Anita (Greene) Beckett; grandchildren Shelley (Ehren) Flaherty, Divon Goodman, Jayda Pearson, India Goodman; great-grandchildren Deavoni Beckford, Demetri, Chance and Amari Flaherty, Layla Goodman, Xavier and Alaia Craig and great-great grandchild Kayden Gordon; nieces and nephew Terri (Lodis) Johnson, Dean (Kim) Scott and Rhonda Greene, her dear friend Grayce Stead and a host of other family and friends.

O B I T U A R Y

ORDER OF SERVICE WE KNEW LITTLE THAT MORNING THAT GOD WAS GOING TO CALL YOUR NAME, IN LIFE WE LOVED YOU DEARLY, IN DEATH WE DO THE SAME. IT BROKE OUR HEARTS TO LOSE YOU, YOU DID NOT GO ALONE. FOR PART OF US WENT WITH YOU, THE DAY GOD CALLED YOU HOME. YOU LEFT US PEACEFUL MEMORIES, YOUR LOVE IS STILL OUR GUIDE, AND THOUGH WE CANNOT SEE YOU, YOU ARE ALWAYS AT OUR SIDE. OUR FAMILY CHAIN IS BROKEN, AND NOTHING

Officiating...Rev. Dr. Cheryl Townsend-Gikes Union Baptist Church Organist…Minister Steven Hunter

Call to Worship: Rev. Dr. Cheryl Townsend-Gilkes Congregational Hymn: “Blessed Assurance” Invocation: Reverend Cheryl Townsend-Gilkes Solo: “Move On Up A Little Higher” – Kendall Scott Scripture Readings: Old Testament: Proverbs 31:10-31 – Dean Scott New Testament:1st Corinthians 15:51-58 - Shelley Flaherty Solo: “I Bowed Down on my Knee and Cried Holy’ – Karen Dottin-Ricketts Proclamation – Mayor E. Denise Simmons Acknowledgements – Derek Goodman & Rhonda Greene Resolutions Obituary – Rhonda Greene & Derek Goodman Prayer of Comfort/Pastoral Privilege – Rev. Dr. J. Anthony Lloyd

SEEMS TO BE THE SAME,

Congregational Hymn: “Farther Along”

BUT AS GOD CALLS

Eulogy – Reverend Cheryl Townsend-Gilkes

US ONE BY ONE, THE CHAIN WILL LINK AGAIN.

RES

Congregational Hymn: “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” Recessional

O R D E R O F S E R V I C E

L O V I N G M E M O R I E S