Obituary of Lou Wanda Godwin

A Time to be Born: Lou Wanda Godwin was born December 31, 1945 in Shreveport Louisiana to Jessie Mae Maxwell and Fred Gladney. Wanda was the eldest of four children, Verna Monroe, Deloris West-Parks and Algera Isaac. When Wanda was a youth the family relocated from Shreveport, LA. to Oakland, CA. where Wanda attended school and graduated from Oakland Technical High School. She then went on to complete training as a Dental Assistant. A Time to Love: Wanda had a long career as a telephone operator and worked for Pacific Bell Telephone Company for many years, as well as several small telephone answering services. Wanda possessed a beautiful telephone voice and was always able to maintain her composure under pressure. Wanda left work in December of 1991 to assist with the care of her first grandchild Shani for several years. She then relocated to Bremerton Washington in 1995 to assist with the care of her second grandchild Crystal as well as Shani. Wanda stayed in Washington for two years after the family was stationed back to California and then to Jacksonville, FL. However Wanda missed her grandchildren and family and relocated to Jacksonville to assist with the care of the girls once again. A Time to Grow: Wanda became a member of Hopewell Church in 2013 after visiting several services with her daughter Michelle. She enjoyed the messages received from Senior Pastor G.L. Williams and tried to apply what she'd learned during service to her life. She wasn't a touchy feely person and would always jokingly state at the end of service, "I only got hugged three times". Wanda loved her family dearly and would do anything for them. She was an attentive, nurturing, no nonsense mother and grandmother. Wanda possessed an awesome sense of humor and loved to laugh. She also possessed an insatiable sweet tooth. Wanda was a sensitive spirit and a great example of what unconditional love looks like. A Time to Weep and a Time to Mourn: Wanda was preceded in death by Fred Gladney, Verna Monroe and Kevin West. Wanda leaves behind in loving memory, daughter, Michelle & Carl; grandchildren, Shani and Crystal; great grand children, Royce; mother, Jessie Mae Isaac; sisters; Deloris and Algera; nieces; Lisa and Kimberley; great nephews, Alden and Devon; and a host of relatives and friends.