Phyllis Goodman

She was the 4th of 9 children and is survived by her sisters Lorraine Daniel and Gloria (Noel) Skeete, and brother, Andrew Downie. Two sons: Samuel (Noelene) Goodman and Anthony (Cecilia) Goodman. 6 granddaughters: Dannielle, Crystal-Gayle (Shawn), Karla-Mae (Bill), Ashley, Kanesha and Lisa (Jermaine). 7 great-grandchildren: Abbigaille, Giavana, Dominico, Josiyah, Luciano, Jermiyah and Aria, and several extended family members and friends.

Phyllis was a quiet lady - a woman of few words. She was an excellent homemaker, who could sing an alto like no other. She loved to cook and could make a mean chocolate cake and bread pudding, and also made the Barbados national dish Cou-Cou, the best! When she wasn’t caring for others, or in the kitchen, you could find her watching game shows – some of her favorites included Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. And she loved a good western! Our dear Phyllis did not say much but noticed everything.

She was a devoted wife and a loving mother. In all of her years we cannot recall a moment of anger or turmoil in our household. Phyllis took good care of all of us. We have memories of her reading her Bible in the mornings and evenings, and praying fervently, calling each of us by name.

Phyllis served faithfully as her husband fulfilled his ministry assignments in the various pastorates held throughout his lifetime. Starting off in Massiah Street, Edgecliff and Welch Village, St. John, Barbados. The family then moved to Marchfield, Church Village and Ragged Point Pilgrim Holiness Church, St. Philip. Finally, they moved to the Whitepark Pilgrim Holiness Church, now Wesleyan, where he served for 6 years. From there they moved to Trinidad and Tobago in 1970. When the Joybells group was started, we fondly remember her being like a “mom” to most of the members in the group. In all of these tenures, Phyllis served behind the scenes until migrating to the United States in Brooklyn, New York. Another move took them to St. Thomas, USVI., but after the devastating storm Marilyn destroyed their home, leaving only the four bathroom walls surrounding them standing, they relocated to Palm Bay, Florida in 1996. Their church affiliations started at The Wesleyan Church in Satellite Beach, after which they planted a Wesleyan Church in Palm Bay with co-pastors Rev. Glenn & Daslin Tingling, their long-term friends from New York days. After that, they had an association with First United Methodist of Malabar Road and then with Bethel New Testament Ministry with the Lewinson’s. After her husband passed away in September 2013, she attended Calvary Chapel with her son and his wife while continuing to attend Bethel, where she was consistent in attending Bible studies every week until 2014, when a move took Phyllis to Kissimmee, FL where she lived with her son Anthony and his wife, Cecilia, and finally to Clermont, Florida where she attended First Baptist of Orlando under the leadership of Pastor David Uth which she thoroughly enjoyed up to the time of Covid-19. She relocated to the Breezy Hills Care Center in Lakeland, FL in January 2023, where she was cared for until her heavenly transition. Phyllis, also known as mum and granny, will be greatly missed, but we have the blessed assurance that we will see her again. And that is a tremendous comfort to all of us who are left behind.

A visitation for Phyllis will be held Thursday, September 14, 2023 at 12:00 PM at Fountainhead Funeral Home, 7359 Babcock Street SE, Palm Bay, FL 32909. A funeral service will occur Thursday, September 14, 2023 at 12:30 PM, 7359 Babcock Street SE, Palm Bay, FL 32909. A committal service will occur Thursday, September 14, 2023 at 2:00 PM at Fountainhead Memorial Park, 7303 Babcock Street SE, Palm Bay, FL 32909.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.FountainheadFuneralHome.com for the Goodman family.