Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in the Oliver Funeral Home Chapel in Winona for Mary Lee Blakely Goodson Flint, 92, of Grenada, who went to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and God in Heaven on Sunday, Dec. 1, as an extensive and expansive network of family and friends mourn the earthly loss. Burial will follow in Holcomb Cemetery in Holcomb. The Rev. Eddie Hollowell will officiate. Visitation will be held from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6, and from noon until service time on Saturday, Dec. 7, at Oliver Funeral Home of Winona.
Mary Lee was born on Jan. 21, 1932, at home in Red Hill. She was the eldest child of the late Fred Blakely and Annie Lee Bennett Blakely of Winona. She was the wife of Douglas Clifford Goodson for five years until his heartbreaking death in an automobile accident. She then married Austin Granville Flint and they spent 36 years together until she lost him to cancer.
Mary Lee retired as night auditor from the Holiday Inn of Greenwood in its heyday, but wore many hats in her long and interesting life. She lied about her age to get a job as a switchboard operator at the phone company at age 14 to help support her parents and siblings. She is known far and wide by many family members, friends, neighbors, friends of friends, coworkers, hunting buddies and more for her renowned skills in the kitchen. Breakfast was always a large spread and always made from scratch. Lunch and supper were not to be missed and included vegetables that she grew and canned herself. And the desserts! Desserts for every occasion, no occasion and “because it’s Tuesday.”
Mary Lee’s gardens were the envy of all who knew her. She could grow any vegetable, any fruit-bearing tree and flowers of all kinds. Her admirers lamented her ability to grow roses simply by placing a bare stick in the mud. Caring for and admiring birds was a pastime very dear to her heart. Over the years, cardinals became her favorite.
Mary Lee’s most noteworthy lifetime accomplishment – without a doubt – was fulfilling the role of “Mother.” She fiercely loved her seven children. She dedicated her life to giving everything she had to her family. Mary Lee was also regarded for her strength. She endured, survived and thrived due to her tenacity and strength of character. She was the constant, the safe place, the home and the heart of the family. She will be forever remembered and forever missed.
In addition to her parents, one daughter, Cindy Gail Goodson; her beloved late infant son, Jerry Clifford Goodson; one sister, Dorothy Fay Blakely Sullivan and five brothers, James Fred Blakely, Bernard Blakely, John Pat Blakely, Homer Ed Blakely and Harold Ray Blakely, preceded Mary Lee in death.
Survivors include, one son, Joseph Lee Goodson (Cindy) of Buna, Texas; four daughters, Sherry Goodson Hankins of Grenada, Celeste Goodson (Paul Carpenter) of Grenada, Barbara Flint Abbott (Allen) of Grenada and Janie Flint Hill (Bobby) of Holcomb; one brother, Jerry Blakely (Shirley) of Winona; one sister, Barbara Jean Johnson of McCarley; her very special and cherished caregiver, Diane Brown and her family as well as countless nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws and outlaws.
Mary Lee was also blessed with 10 grandchildren, Andrea Baum, Chad Hankins, Lana Hankins, Ginger Makamson, Kathy Makamson, Gray Starnes, Joseph Starnes, Laura Flippin, Casey Hill and Sarah Hill; 14 great grandchildren, Caleb Brown, Austin Hankins, Kaitlyn Makamson, Lila Makamson, Aidan Makamson, Landon Makamson, Garret Starnes, Hannah Starnes, Sadie Starnes, Kaylynn Starnes, Gracelynn Starnes, Laila Pryor, Summer Pryor and Eli Flippin and three great-great grandchildren, all of whom she would go down the list of names calling them each out as she cussed, “Whoever you are!” because there were so many.
Pallbearers include, Chad Hankins, Gray Starnes, Joseph Starnes, Casey Hill, Aidan Makamson, and Lee Makamson. Honorary pallbearers include, Landon Makamson, Austin Dunn and Eli Flippin.
Online condolences can be expressed to the family at www.ofhwinona.com
Oliver Funeral Home of Winona is in charge of arrangements.
