Marilyn Jo Goolsby

Marilyn will be laid to rest at Forest Park Lawndale in a private burial. A Celebration of Life with lunch to follow will be held for Marilyn Goolsby at 11:00 AM, Monday, July 29, 2024, at Sugar Creek Baptist Church Chapel, located at 13213 Southwest Frwy., Sugar Land, Texas 77478.

Marilyn went peacefully to her eternal home July 17, 2024 in Sugar Land, Texas. Despite the challenging circumstances of her living life bound to a wheelchair after suffering a stroke, she squeezed the most she could out of the last nine of her eighty-three years, enjoying family, playing bingo, and entertaining the residents and staff at Optimum Personal Care.

She was born September 29, 1940, in Taylor, Texas, to parents Thomas and Columbia (Vanvetterman) Holub. She was the baby of four daughters. After the death of her father when she was 8 years old, her mom moved the family to Pasadena, Texas, where Marilyn grew up. She graduated from Pasadena High School in Pasadena, Texas, in 1959.

Marilyn graduated with her Physical Education degree from University of Houston in 1963. While at U of H she made the Dean’s List, worked on campus, was active in the Alpha Chi Omega sorority and Sweetheart to Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. She was a Homecoming Queen finalist and served in student government and other service organizations while also twirling batons as a majorette for the U of H Cougar Marching Band. After graduating, she taught fourth grade at Pearl Hall Elementary in Pasadena, Texas.

After a brief courtship on the heels of a blind date at the U.S. Naval Academy Ring Dance, Marilyn married Richard Goolsby. She spent the next 20 years serving as a Navy wife and stay-at-home mom to their two children, Rick and Lisa. Marilyn was always active within the military wife community; providing love and support to Navy wives as their husbands were often deployed overseas for long periods. Her packing skills were unmatched, moving every 2 to 3 years, from California, to Rhode Island, to Maine, Spain, Virginia, Maine, and Virginia over 20 years. Marilyn fell in love with jewelry and the jewelry business, when in 1982 she began working for Today’s Cargo, in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia.

After her divorce in 1984, Marilyn moved back home to Houston, Texas. After relocating, she worked in sales at Whitehall Jewelers for several years before finding her vocational calling in hotel sales & event planning; working in that industry for eighteen years, split between the Sheraton Astrodome and Conrad Hilton Hotel at University of Houston.

“Retiring” in 2006, Marilyn enjoyed bowling, gardening, painting, and crafts along with spending lots of time with her grandkids and family. Never one to sit still, in addition to those activities she loved, Marilyn combed garage sales and flea markets for merchandise she could restore to sell in her resale booth, in the Houston Heights, until suffering from a stroke in 2015 while in recovery for a routine surgery.

While Marilyn attended church throughout her early and married years, she became a faithful follower of Jesus Christ and was baptized in 2011 after plugging into a women’s small group at Clear Creek Community Church. She stayed active in that church, serving as a Greeter, until her stroke.

Marilyn’s pride and joy was her family; raising 2 kids, 6 grandkids, and 5 grand-dogs. She always had fun activities, gifts, and food around, and loved hosting family gatherings at her home. She leaves an indelible impression on the lives of all those who called her Mom, Grama G, sister, aunt, and friend.

Marilyn is survived by her two children, Rick Goolsby (Julie) and Lisa Wetmore; and will be fondly remembered by her grandchildren Ryan, Kyle, Garrett, Courtney, Haley, and Melody Goolsby. She is also survived by her sister, Betty Duke, along with numerous nephews, nieces and grand nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Thomas and Columbia Holub, her son in law Matthew Wetmore, sisters Carol Bratcher and Tommie Hinski, brothers-in-law Thomas Bratcher and James Duke, nephew Don Bratcher, grandnephew Thomas Bratcher and her precious grandson Kolby John Goolsby.

The family wishes to thank Optimum Personal Care staff, Star of Hope Hospice, Debbie Perry and staff and Pastor Jack Thompson of Sugar Creek Baptist Church for their support, love and care. Also, her dear friend Carolyn King for being Marilyn’s faithful visitor and lunch buddy through these last nine years.