Celebration of Life Service Live Stream:
Click the image below to view the live stream on Metropolitan Seventh-day Adventist Church YouTube Channel.
Events
The Celebration of Life Service will take place on Sunday, November 9, 2025 starting 5:00PM EST at the Metropolitan Seventh-day Adventist Church located at 6307 Riggs Rd, Hyattsville, MD 20783. For those unable to attend the service in-person, you can participate remotely by viewing the live stream of the service (please scroll up to see the video).
Order of Service
Tributes
Obituary
A Life Woven in Love, Friendship, and Family
Dr. Norma Claire Goodlett
October 22, 1940 – October 9, 2025
From her first breath, Norma Claire Goodlett’s life was marked by love—love that nurtured, taught, and inspired everyone around her. Born on October 22, 1940, in Kingston, Jamaica, to Hubert Samuel Goodlett and Agatha Johnson, she was their firstborn and only daughter. Friends would teasingly remind her that her birthday was the date of “The Great Disappointment” in Seventh-day Adventist history. Norma’s spirited reply never changed: “I am no disappointment!” Norma had two maternal brothers, Ronald Morgan and Keith Bowen and two paternal brothers, Rackham “Hugh” Goodlett and Richard Goodlett.
Norma’s childhood was shaped by strong women and deep family bonds. She spent her early years in Kingston with her mother, then moved at age four to live with her grandmother, Josephine “Grandma Jo” Goodlett, in Elderslie, St. Elizabeth. Grandma Jo’s gentle care anchored her, while visits to her mother helped Norma develop the homemaking, baking, and sewing skills that became her hallmark. When her grandmother could no longer care for her, Norma’s father placed her with loving aunts, especially Vida “Aunt Vie” Harvey, whom she cherished as a second mother. She also gained a “baby brother,” Robert Martin, Aunt Vie’s son, expanding her circle of affection even further.
In 1959, Norma began a new chapter at West Indian Training College (WITC) in Mandeville under the guidance of Mrs. Lucille “Aunt Lûs” Walters. Those years shaped her character and her lifelong friendships. At WITC, she was known for her grace, warmth, and hospitality—so much so that her friends jokingly nicknamed her “Martha Stewart.” She went on to earn her teaching certificate there, a B.A. in Elementary Education from Atlantic Union College in Massachusetts, and later, both a master’s in Reading (1975) and a Ph.D. in Human Communication (1991) from Howard University.
In 1961, Norma married Logan Bowen at Ephesus SDA Church in New York City. Their union was blessed with a daughter, Anthea Vernette, born in Chicago, IL. Though the marriage ended, Norma met life’s challenges with courage and devotion. She and Anthea settled in Rochester, New York, where Norma taught in the public school system. She later moved to Washington D.C. to work for Random House Publishing. As a single mother, she created a nurturing world for her daughter—filled with love, learning, music lessons, and opportunity.
Norma’s greatest joy was watching Anthea grow into a capable, compassionate woman. When Anthea married Floyd Maxwell “Max” Francis in 1992, Norma proudly walked her down the aisle and from that day on called Max her son. Her prayers for their happiness were answered when she lived to see them celebrate 33 years of marriage in 2025.
Norma’s professional life reflected her brilliance and dedication. While completing her master’s, she joined the faculty at Howard University, where she served for 23 years. She began in the Center for Academic Reinforcement, later founding the Computer-Assisted Instruction program and training faculty in emerging technology. After earning her Ph.D., she taught in the School of Communications, mentoring students, publishing research, and presenting at conferences. Her professionalism, warmth, and generosity made her not only a respected educator but also a beloved colleague and friend.
A special joy of Norma’s Howard years was working alongside her brother, Hugh Goodlett, a mathematics professor. Though they discovered their sibling connection as adults, their bond was instant and profound. They were inseparable on campus—sharing meals, attending meetings, and proudly marching side by side at university events. Her pride in her family deepened when her daughter, granddaughter Gabrielle, and son-in-law Max also became Howard alumni.
After retirement, Norma returned to Jamaica, fulfilling her dream to live once again among her island roots. She served in a leadership position for MIND and would later serve as a lecturer at the University of Technology, conducting workshops on communication, and became known as a dynamic educator and mentor. She also poured her creativity into transforming her home into a bed-and-breakfast she called Cresthaven. It became both a haven of peace and a reflection of her love for family—especially her three granddaughters.
Her granddaughters were her world: Noelle Alexandra (“Grandmommy’s Little Sweetheart”), Symonne Arielle (“Grandmommy’s Little Darling”), and Gabrielle Alysse (“Grandmommy’s Little Woman”). She even named the rooms at Cresthaven after their middle names—The Alexandra, The Arielle, and The Alysse. Though she lived in Jamaica for much of their early childhood, she never missed an important event. She traveled for graduations, recitals, and holidays, and even babysat so Anthea and Max could celebrate their anniversary—joking later that the “souvenir” from that trip was her youngest granddaughter, Gabrielle.
In 2012, Norma returned to the U.S. and settled in Silver Spring, Maryland. She briefly accepted a position at Washington Adventist University, but after a fall on her first day, she retired. This new season allowed her to spend precious time with her granddaughters, sharing stories, laughter, and faith. For the last seven years of her life, she lived with Anthea and her family—surrounded by the love she had so freely given.
Norma was a friend in the truest sense: loyal, thoughtful, and generous. She was the one who called to check in, who listened without judgment, who always found a song to match the moment and sang it with joy. Her faith and friendship ran deep, and her compassion left lasting marks on everyone she met.
On the morning of October 9, 2025, Norma Claire Goodlett passed peacefully into rest, leaving a legacy woven from love, friendship, and family. She was 84 years old.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her beloved brothers, Hugh, Ronald, Richard and Robert. She leaves to cherish her memory her devoted daughter, Anthea Bowen Francis (Max); her adored granddaughters, Noelle, Symonne, and Gabrielle; sisters-in-law Jascinta Goodlett and Sharon Martin; nieces, nephews, godchildren, extended relatives, and countless friends.
Norma’s life was a song of love—each verse filled with kindness, laughter, and faith. Her melody continues in the hearts of all who knew her, reminding us that a life lived in love is never truly gone.