Minnie H. Goodman

Minnie France Haynes Goodman was the eighth of nine children born to Walter David and Nannie Wade Haynes on April 14, 1923 in West Virginia. After a valiant battle with Alzheimer’s disease, Minnie answered the call from our heavenly father on November 25, 2019 at the age of 96.

Minnie preferred to be called Minte or Haynes, her maiden name.  Minte was raised in the mountains of West Virginia, in the historic railroad town of Hinton. She often talked about how much she loved driving those hilly roads.  After Minte graduated from Lincoln High School, she matriculated at West Virginia State College where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1948.  While at West Virginia State College, she pledged and became a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.  From 1949 to 1952, Minte lived in New York City with her brother, Fred and her best friend, Marietta.  For Minte, one of the best things about living in NYC at that time was being able to frequent jazz clubs and see anybody and everyone on the jazz and be- bop scene including, Miles Davis and Charlie Parker.  Minte took graduate classes in Math at Columbia University for a short time, but ultimately left her statistician job with Blue Cross Blue Shield to pursue a career as a mathematician in Wash. D.C., with the Dept. of Interior/ Geological Survey.  After 34 years, Minte retired from the Federal Government and went on to work at George Mason University in the Accounting Dept. for several years.

After leaving D.C. in the early 1970’s, Reston, VA became home for 43 years where Minte shared her life with her family.  Minte was active in the community; she was a founding member of AKA’s Lambda Kappa Omega graduate chapter in Reston, VA, where it is no surprise that she served on the Finance committee. Minte was also a member of the National Council of Negro Women and Jack and Jill of America.  She delighted in her fitness classes, interior decorating, and reading.

Minte’s commitment to her family was all encompassing.  She was without a doubt the matriarch of the small and mighty extended family.  Minte was selfless, always willing to listen and support, and she was fiercely protective.  She could be all business, yet loved to laugh and be light hearted with her siblings and friends. She was prideful, positive, had high standards, and an undeniable strength.  Her sense of style and sophistication was often admired.  She was also the kind of mother who would enthusiastically say, ‘that’s my baby” when her offspring was competing or performing.

Minte was widowed in March 2019, after 62 years of marriage to Joseph Goodman.  Minte leaves to cherish her memories of a life well lived, her daughter, Jennifer and her significant other Anthony; her nieces and nephews, Pam, Courtney, Mark, Roland, George, Sean, and other relatives and friends.