OBITUARY: Mary Pricilla Gaston Goodman, 1915 - Smith County, TX Contributed by Mary Love Berryman August 5, 2002 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm *********************************************************************** Copied 31 July 2002 from the Goodman File, Smith County Archives, Carnegie History Center MARY PRICILLA GASTON GOODMAN Just as the old year passed out and the new was ushered in, Mrs. Pricilla Gaston Goodman, dovoted wife, sainted mother and handmaiden of Christ, departed to "be with Him which is far better." It was the triumphant ending of a life that was transparently pure, a life sanctified and sweetened by pain, a life eminently fitted for larger service above. Mrs. Goodman was the daughter of Col. Robert Kirkpatrick Gaston and Letitia Suddeth Gaston and was born January 13, 1847. Her ancestors were from South Carolina, though her father moved from Mississippi to Anderson County, Texas, in 1849, and later in 1860 to Mt. Sylvan, Texas. On February 12, 1867, she was married to Dr. William Jefferies Goodman, and came as a bride to the home in this city from which she was called to her heavenly home. Four children were born to this union, the oldest daughter, Berta, died in childhood. The three surviving her are Mrs. J. H. LeGrande of Dallas, Texas; Will Gaston Goodman and Miss Etta G. Goodman of this city. Any attempt to portray the beauties of the sweet, simple, devoted life of this mother in Israel here would be as futile as the endeavor to put on canvas the gorgeous colors and glories of some autumnal sunset scene, for she reigned as a queen in the home, she reveled like a child in the affection of unnumbered friends, and like Mary of old, broke the box of precious spikenard of her heart's deepest love in lavish waste that was beautiful, upon him who was the King of her heart and life. With the sorrowing husband and children we weep and with them rejoice in the precious legacy she has left us. ---- A Friend. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Smith County Cemetery Records, Volume 1, Published by the East Texas Genealogical Society, P O Box 6967, Tyler, TX 75710 1981 Oakwood Cemetery Page 45 Priscilla Gaston Goodman wife of Dr. W. J. Goodman 13 Jan 1847 1 Jan 1915