Ella West Goode

Ella was born May 21, 1920 in Sturgis, Mississippi, to Geraldine and Clarence West and was a sister to six brothers and sisters. After graduating from high school, business school in Memphis, Tennessee was next, paid for by the sale of three of the family dairy cows. In Memphis, she met her future husband, Oval, and they married in 1939. They had been married for 58 years when he passed away in 1998.

She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great grandmother. She was a warm and vibrant person and no one she met was a stranger for long. She worked for many years, and after retiring could not sit still. She volunteered at her church, the local food pantry, and for a while drove into Atlanta daily in her yellow jeep to babysit the great-grandchildren.

A gifted seamstress, she made all the clothes for her growing children and delighted in making holiday outfits and christening gowns for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Travelling well into her eighties, adventures included horse-back riding in the Grand Tetons, rafting down the Nantahala River and numerous trips with friends church groups. The past three years she lived at Sunrise at Ivey Ridge in Johns Creek, GA, where she quickly made new friends and the attentive staff provided loving care.

She is survived by three daughters: Virginia Reid (Barry) of Tucker, GA; Sharon Wichmann (Werner) of Bremen, Germany; and Julia Scruggs (Larry) of Johns Creek, GA. Ella also leaves behind six grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, January 5, at 1:00PM followed by a service at 2:00PM at the Horis Ward Funeral Home, 376 Fairview Rd., Stockbridge, GA 30281, (770) 474-1231.

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy can be made by contributing to the ministry of Youth with a Mission (YWAM), c/o Stephen Goode, P.O. Box 3000, Garden Valley, TX, 75771; or the Senior Ministry at Salem Baptist Church, 1724 Hwy 155 N, McDonough, GA 30252.