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The much beloved James Carlton Goode was peacefully called home to his heavenly Father on Feb. 28, 2022, exactly one month after celebrating his 100th birthday at his home with family and friends. Born during the great Knickerbocker Storm of 1922 and raised in Suffolk, James was the fourth child and third son born to his parents, Rufus and Viola Goode.
His parents were hard-working and instilled in James a deep and abiding love of family and music. Both parents sang in the family church choir. His mother, played the piano and sang soprano, his father Rufus, sang a powerful bass. As would be true for most of his nine siblings, James had a special gift for music. He played the piano, mostly by ear, and sang with boyhood friends in several musical groups and quartets.
James was a 1940 graduate of Booker T. Washington High School and served his country as a sergeant in the U.S. Army. While serving in Belgium and France, James became fluent in French and German, an ability that was critically important to his 560th Truck Division Unit during their participation in the infamous Red Ball Express supply chain effort during World War II.
James had a successful career as a bricklayer for over 70 years, working on projects in North Carolina, Virginia, Florida and Maryland. With his first wife, Bernice, and eldest four daughters, James lived for many years in Syracuse, N.Y., working on major projects that now comprise the Upstate Medical Center Complex. He was also a long-time resident of Baltimore County, Md. where he and his second wife, Louise, were very active members of the Israel Baptist Church. During his 100th birthday celebration, The Rev. D. H. Walden Wilson II shared that “James was a giant of a man who has blessed the world.”
Sharp and lucid until his final few days, James’ family is grateful to God’s grace and mercy for allowing their father, who meant so much to so many, to have weathered all of the storms in his life that allowed them so many wonderful years with him.
James was preceded in death by his parents, Rufus and Viola Goode; his siblings, George, Ernest and Mary, Rufus and Martha, Gladys, Viola, Bill and Roy; and the love of his life, Louise Alice Goode.
James is survived by his daughters, Carneice (Reggie) Felton, Linda Cummings, Kathye Goode, Kim Goode, Karla Lipscomb and Claudette (Cookie) Taylor; his sister, Ethel (Egg) Ingram; 26 grandchildren, 53 great-grandchildren, 11 great-great-grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews and other relatives.
Home Going Celebrations to honor the Goode Family patriarch will be held at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 22, in the Harris Funeral Home Chapel. A military salute and service will be held at 2 p.m. at Albert G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery.