Mary Lee Blakely Goodson Flint

An extensive and expansive network of family and friends mourn the earthly loss of Mary Lee Blakely Goodson Flint of Grenada as she went to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and God in Heaven on December 1, 2024. She was born at home in Red Hill, MS on January 21, 1932. She was the eldest child of the late Fred Blakely and Annie Lee Bennett Blakely of Winona. She was the wife of Douglas Clifford Goodson for five years until his heartbreaking death in an automobile accident. She then married the now late Austin Granville Flint and they spent 36 years together until she lost him to cancer.

She is survived by her son Joseph Lee Goodson (Cindy) of Buna, TX, and daughters Sherry Goodson Hankins of Grenada, Celeste Goodson (Paul Carpenter) of Grenada, Barbara Flint Abbott (Allen) of Grenada, and Janie Flint Hill (Bobby), of Holcomb, her brother Jerry Blakely (Shirley) of Winona, her sister Barbara Jean Johnson of McCarley, her very special and cherished caregiver Diane Brown and her family, countless nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, and outlaws. She was preceded in death by her daughter, the late Cindy Gail Goodson, her beloved late infant son Jerry Clifford Goodson, her late sister Dorothy Fay Blakely Sullivan, and her late brothers James Fred, Bernard, John Pat, Homer Ed, and Harold Ray Blakely. She was blessed with ten grandchildren: Andrea Baum, Chad Hankins, Lana Hankins, Ginger Makamson, Kathy Makamson, Gray Starnes, Joseph Starnes, Laura Flippin, Casey Hill, and Sarah Hill; fourteen great-grandchildren: Caleb Brown, Austin Hankins, Kaitlyn Makamson, Lila Makamson, Aidan Makamson, Landon Makamson, Garret Starnes, Hannah Starnes, Sadie Starnes, Kaylynn Starnes, Gracelynn Starnes, Laila Pryor, Summer Pryor, and Eli Flippin; and three great-great-grandchildren, all of whom she would go down the list of names calling them each out as she cussed, “whoever you are!” because there were so many. She retired as night auditor from the Holiday Inn of Greenwood in its heyday but wore many hats in her long and interesting life. She lied about her age to get a job as a switchboard operator at the phone company at age fourteen to help support her parents and siblings. She is known far and wide by many family, friends, neighbors, friends of friends, coworkers, hunting buddies, and more for her renowned skills in the kitchen. Breakfast was always a large spread, and always made from scratch. Lunch and supper were not to be missed and included vegetables she grew and canned herself. And the desserts! Desserts for every occasion, no occasion, and “because it’s Tuesday.” Her gardens were the envy of all who knew her. She could grow any vegetable, any fruit-bearing tree, and flowers of all kinds. Her admirers lamented her ability to grow roses simply by placing a bare stick in the mud. Caring for and admiring birds was a pastime very dear to her heart. Over the years, cardinals became her favorite. Her most noteworthy lifetime accomplishment, without a doubt, was fulfilling the role of ‘Mother’. She fiercely loved her seven children. She dedicated her life to giving everything she had to her family. Mary Lee was also regarded for her strength. She endured, survived, and thrived due to her tenacity and strength of character. She was the constant, the safe place, the home, and the heart of the family. She will be forever remembered and forever missed.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, December 7, at 1:00 p.m. in the Oliver Funeral Home Chapel, with Rev. Eddie Hollowell officiating the service. Burial will follow afterwards at Holcomb Cemetery in Holcomb, MS. Pallbearers include Chad Hankins, Gray Starnes, Joseph Starnes, Casey Hill, Aidan Makamson, and Lee Makamson. Honorary pallbearers include Landon Makamson, Austin Dunn, and Eli Flippin.

Visitation will be Friday, December 6, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. and Saturday December 7, from noon until service time at Oliver Funeral Home of Winona.