GREENVILLE — Clarice Edna Sampson Goode, former Greenville resident, passed away Dec. 9, 2012, at the West Place Rehabilitation Center in Athens at the age of 90. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in the Coker-Mathews Funeral Home chapel with Rev. Bob Layman officiating.  Interment will follow at Memoryland Memorial Park. 

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

She was born Oct. 3, 1922, to William Henderson and Ollie Samantha Ethridge Sampson in Merit. She enjoyed her family, being one of seven children. She met Claude Elmer Goode of Dulaney at her Aunt Grace’s and his Uncle Dewey’s house because they were cousins by marriage. They were married on Christmas day, 1939, and enjoyed 65 years of marriage before Claude’s death in 2005.

She was preceded in death by her parents and brothers Clyde, Noel, Raymond, David, Paul and Bobby Jay Sampson.

Claude and Clarice had four children, Bobby Claude (Jean) of Boerne, Patsy Kay Goode Luckett of Fort Worth, Roger Michael (Elaine) of Brownsboro and Susan Michele (Chele) Goode Walker (Glynn) of College Station.

Due to Claude’s work as a principal/teacher/coach in various schools in Texas, alternating with work for the FAA, the family moved every year, seeing different areas of the state and enjoying the travel and varied opportunities.

Clarice taught her age group in Sunday school almost her entire adult life. Her Christian walk was a constant inspiration to many, especially her children. Having lost her maternal grandmother when her mother was only 6, and her own mother when Clarice was only 9, she depended heavily on the teachings of the Bible for her own pattern for being a wife and mother, “Her children rise up and call her blessed.”

Clarice did not work outside the home much until she was offered a job with Ling-Temco-Vought, lately a division of Lockheed Martin, which she accepted with much excitement. Because of her organizational abilities, she was chosen by LTV to set up the Central Files Department at the downtown Dallas corporate offices. She was thrilled also when her job offered her oldest son, Bobby, a chance at one of two full scholarships to college.

She was with LTV for 13 years until her youngest child, Chele, was born at which time her church, First Baptist of Hurst, and her new baby occupied her time. She fed the revival pastors and visiting song leaders as well as provided temporary housing when needed, entertained her children’s friends and hosted parties for her husband’s co-workers and friends from Bell Helicopter Corp. in Hurst.

The family lived in Hurst from 1957 to 1970 when they moved to Greenville to be nearer their extended families. Claude went back to his first love, teaching, and Clarice became a teacher’s aide in the Greenville ISD school system. She taught Sunday school as always, and volunteered at both the Crisis Pregnancy Center and her church’s food bank.

When she lost her husband she lived near her children until her health made assisted living necessary. Clarice settled into that community, and it was remarked that “she had a certain grace” in her new circumstances. Her loved ones are greatly comforted thinking of her meeting with her Lord and Savior, Jesus, as well as her reunion with husband, family and friends who preceded her to Heaven.

Clarice (Nanny) is survived by her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren, James Lonnie (Jim) and wife Julie and children Jenny (Tim), Jonas, Johannah, Johnny;  Joel (Mary) and children Sarah and Mark; John (Jen) and children Justin and Jason; Karyn (Craig) and children Michele (Ray King) and their children Braylen, Molly and Zoey, Christi (Chris McFarland) and their children Christian and Keller, and Samantha; Todd Luckett and children Lane and Tarrant; Jason and children Jenae, Juree and Jase; Julie (Shane Steen) and children Sam and Shelby; Jessica (Nick DeJong), and twins Caitlen and Caley; sisters-in-law Carole and Shirley Sampson; and

many other beloved family members including Dr. Wayne, Barbara, Sandrea, Becky, Ricky, Shane, Mark, Stephen, Sharon, Stephanie, Christy, Leslie, David and Dean and their spouses and children.

The family requests gifts be made to the Crisis Pregnancy Center or a local food bank to honor Clarice.

Online condolences may be made at www.cokermathews.com