Marsha Jean Haley Waters Goodlett (18 Apr 1951 - 20 May 2020) has been promoted to Angel Extraordinaire. Celebrations are underway on Cloud 9 with her father Claude and mother Iris Jean Haley along with brother Alvis Dean Haley and nephew Eric Haley plus other Family and Friends who have gone before her. Marsha had won her battle with cancer(2017) but could not overcome her war with an aggressive brain tumor.
Marsha, born in Pine Bluff, AR attended schools in Little Rock through her sophomore year in high school. She went on to graduate from Atlanta HS, Atlanta, TX before attending Tyler CC. She married and moved to Austin(1971) where Andrea was born at the old Seton Hospital.
Her career included stops at State Farm, Texas Instruments and Dell. Marsha’s talents and flexibility allowed her to work as an HR Staffing Manager, HR Employee Relations Representative and as a Buyer at TI. With Marsha’s work ethic she excelled and advanced at each stop of her career finishing as a Director for Dell Austin Procurement.
Marsha’s life is defined by loyalty to family & friends and service to others. Her volunteerism started in high school as a Candy Striper at Little Rock Medical Center. She served for a time on the Boards of United Cerebral Palsy and Summit School. Upon retiring, Marsha became a Wish Granter for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central Texas. Once Marsha completed chemotherapy, she volunteered through the Regarding Cancer organization at ‘her’ Texas Oncology Infusion facility in North Austin.
Somewhere along the way, she met and married an 'ole boy from west Texas that she just called Goodlett. ‘Bonus Son’ Stuart and Marsha formed a special relationship when she lovingly became WSM(Wicked Step Mother).
She flourished in her role as Grandmother Goodlett(GG) and marveled at how much love her heart could hold with the addition of her ‘Short People.’ Lots of people spelled her ‘name’ GiGi, but she just spelled it Sebastian and Birdie. Over the years, GG set them up with summer cooking, art and theater camps. Then there were trips to Grand Prairie’s Great Wolf Lodge experiencing every adventure they offered. Once the Short People got tall enough, GG would say: “Your G-Diddy, aka Goodlett, and I will be sitting on these stools, so stop by and check-in every half hour or so”.
Marsha is survived by husband Goodlett(married 31 years), daughter Andrea Niles, bonus son Stuart and Sharon Goodlett, grands Sebastian Goodlett, Birdie Niles, Shelby Maiden & great granddaughter Stevie Maiden, sister Claudia Counts, sister-in-law Sena(Goodlett) and Dr Mike Leese, sister-in-law Brenda Haley and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. Also, Marsha’s chosen daughters Shelley Reed, Melissa Timm and Christi Grider & chosen sisters Willa Kay Warren and the BB Rover Ladies(30+ years for some) Eileen King, Darlene Leach, Michelle Strawn & Amy McCord; travel buddies Nola & Elaine Carter; The CWMGG(Jim & Diane Cano, Joe & Shelley Whitworth, Don & Ann Montgomery, Ray & Olga Gonzales, Goodlett) Adventure Team. All are left to cherish the many fond memories and love shared with Marsha over the years.
Thanks to the Nurses, Doctors and Staff at Dell Seton Medical Center at the U of Texas for the wonderful and compassionate care given to Marsha. A special THANK YOU to Nurse Practitioner/Liaison Elise Carper for enabling and enhancing communications in these trying times.
To honor the memory of Marsha, contributions are suggested to:
- Regarding Cancer, PO Box 204451, Austin, TX 78720 or online: http://regardingcancer.org/
- Make-A-Wish Central & South Texas, 2224 Walsh Tarlton Lane, Suite 200, Austin TX 78745 or online http://cst.wish.org/
Marsha is under the care of Cook-Walden Chapel of the Hills. Visit http://cookwaldenchapelofthehills.com to share a memory.
Having chosen cremation, a Celebration of Marsha’s Life and Internment at Remembrance Gardens will take place at a future time.
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