Alma Naomi Englebert Goodson

 Teacher, Businesswoman, Civic Leader

Born:29-Nov-10, Huntsville, Alabama
Died:July 3, 2002, Huntsville, Alabama
Buried:Maple Hill Cemetery, Huntsville, Alabama
Residence:1308 Clinton Avenue E
Mother of:Dr. William Houston Goodson (b1936)
Wife of:William Houston Goodson (b1909)

Notes:

•  "Mrs. Goodson was born in her family home on Bosses Row-now Oakwood Avenue-in the Dallas Mill area. Her father had been a foreman at the mill and needed to live nearby. Alma and her future husband, Houston, knew each other growing up, but it wasn't until "The Picnic at Fagan Springs" that they knew they were meant to be together." - Brasher

•  Houston Goodson and Miss Alma Englebert married on July 11, 1933 in Lincoln County, Tennessee.
     On the line that reads, "Name of Parent, Guardian or Next of Kin of Female" is the name "C. B. Englebert" (This seems strange by today's standards because Alma's age is listed as 22. Did everyone woman of any age need to have an extra approval in 1933 Tennessee?)
     On the copy of the Marriage Record is attached the note: "Don't Publish" They were both teachers at Rison School and there was a rule against married couples teaching in the same school. So they kept their marriage a secret until their first child came. This is also the reason they went to Tennessee to be married instead of Huntsville, Alabama. - Marriage

•  The Goodsons owned several stores in the Five Points and surrounding neighborhoods.
     Five were small grocery stores that went out of business when larger stores came to the area.
     In 1950, the Goodsons purchased Zesto's restaurant (south west corner of Pratt Ave. and Russell St.) famous for "Dip Dogs" and soft served ice cream.
     "From 1955 until 1975 the family also owned Goodson's Variety Store, a Five and Dime, which Mrs. Goodson managed. She got to know many people from the neighborhood this way. The store was located behind Zesto's where the clock shop used to be. The smaller stores and five and dimes closed as Parkway City and strip malls were built." - Brasher

•  Alma Goodson (Nov. 29, 1910 -July 3, 2002) "of Huntsville, former co-owner of Goodson's Variety Store and Zesto's, died Wednesday. She was 91.
     Mrs. Goodson was a member of First United Methodist Church, the Billie Scott Sunday School class and the Junior Welfare League. She was preceded in death by her husband, Houston Goodson.
     Survivors include two daughters, Mary Lou Goodson Walker and Patricia Lots Goodson, both of Huntsville, one son. Dr William H. Goodson Jr. of Huntsville, one sister, Ruth Richardson of Selma; eight grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter. Visitation will be Friday from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at the Goodson home, 1308 E. Clinton Ave. A graveside service will be at 11 a.m. at Maple Hill Cemetery with the Rev Coy Hallmark officiating Laughlin Service Funeral Home is in charge of burial.
     Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church." - Huntsville Times


Related Links:

•  About.com - Article titled "Five Points Historic Homes" by Jean Brandau for About.com with biographical information primarily collected from Brasher's Article. (Originally found at http://huntsville.about.com/od/photogallery/ig/Five-Points-Historic-Homes/Five-Points-Historic-Homes.-23p.htm.)

•  Brasher - Article titled "A Five Points Portrait: Alma Goodson" by Debra Brasher for Historic Huntsville Quarterly, Vol. XXVII, #1-2, pages 28-29. This profile by Debra Brasher is based on an interview Mrs. Alma Naomi Englebert Goodson, Houston's wife at age 90. . It tells the story of this amazing family from the perspective of Mrs. Goodson (the article is available at the link below.)

•  Find A Grave - Page created by Heather

•  Huntsville Times - Obituary July 4, 2002

•  Marriage - Page viewed through an Ancestry.com paid subscription (Originally found at http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=TNstatemarriages&h=2415586&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=3693.)


The Following Pages Link to this Page:
•  1308 Clinton Avenue E
•  Brasher
•  Dr. William Houston Goodson (b1936)
•  William Houston Goodson (b1909)