Willa along with her husband Walter Goodwin had 5 children together and raised their granddaughter as their own. An active participant in her community Willa was a volunteer, a member of the NAACP, and a partitioner at Bethel AME Church. In addition to her many contributions to the Town of Huntington’s Community at large, Willa was an even bigger contributor to her family and friends. Often creating one of a kind blankets and Quillows for many of her friends and family, Willa could also be found cooking meals and creating a space for others to rest their head. She was a true original.
When I think about my Auntie I remember the times I went over to her house to hang out. I loved going in the early afternoons because it would be just she and I. She would make a pot of tea and we’d sit at her kitchen table and talk. She’d tell me about the time she moved to NY as a little girl, and about the Harlem apartment she lived in. She’d tell me stories about what I was like as a little girl. She would talk about her children and how proud she was of her grandchildren. We’d gossip about the women in her senior group and talk about upcoming trips she had planned. But the one thing she always told me was to not hold grudges and to understand that mistakes others made should not effect how you live your life. I still have trouble adhering to her wise words. I loved spending time with Auntie, she had become my friend and I miss our times together.
Today I wish my Auntie Willie Mae Goodwin a very happy birthday in heaven. I pray she’s enjoying herself and resting easy.