Celebration of Life Services for Mother Eddie Mae Gooden who passed away on Friday, February 1, 2013, will be held on Saturday, February 9th, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. at New Life Tabernacle UPC, 6912 Williams Road, Seffner, Florida with Pastor Daniel M. Davy, officiating. Interment will follow in Rest Haven Memorial Park Cemetery, 4615 East Hanna Avenue, Tampa, FL 33610.

Mother Eddie Mae Christopher Gooden was born on December 8, 1939 in Port Saint Joe, Florida to the parentage of Mr. Johnny Christopher and Mother Sallie Mae Crenshaw-Christopher. She attended Everglades, Florida school system. She moved to Tampa in 1960 where she worked as a chef for Admiral Benbow Inn for several years, before obtaining her own restaurant and cafe, which she owned and operated in the Tampa Bay area.

Mother Gooden gave her life to Jesus Christ as her Savior in 1975. She was a former member of Refuge Church of God In Christ, Carver City. From 1981 – 1984 the Lord sent Mother Gooden to Cordele, Georgia where she pastored the Church of God Of Prophecy. She relocated back to Tampa and joined New Life Tabernacle, UPC where she became a faithful Mother of the church and a mentor to many.

Mother Gooden was preceded in death by her parents Mr. Johnny Christopher and Mother Sallie Mae Crenshaw-Christopher; three children, Renford Gooden, Alfred and Alfreda Brown; four siblings, Herbert Christopher Sr., Clinton Christopher, Jewel Christopher-Wilson, and Shirley Christopher-Williams.

Mother Eddie Mae Gooden leaves to mourn her passing a loving daughter, Gwendolyn Mingo of Tampa, FL; two brothers, John & Catherine Christopher of Tampa, FL and Leon Christopher of Cordele, GA; three sisters, Selena (Rufus) Manning of Cordele GA, Ethel Christopher of Fayetteville NC, and Necola Salter of Alabama; several loving grandchildren, Vestin Mango, Riverview FL, Vita Faye Brown-Lattimore, Windy Jewel Baynham "Winnie Pooh", Larry Brown, Charles Boone, Monique & Tyesha Gooden; great-grandchildren, Trafaye Lattimore, Latraye Lattimore, Tracy Lattimore, Jr., Tracy Lattimore, III, Efrem White, Erika Gillett, Queen Lattimore, Zemarion Brown, Cornelius Brown, Dashawna "Dae Dae" Marshall, Marvin Grooms, Jr., Monae Grooms, Miette Young, all of Tampa, FL; two special nieces who cared for her Sister Lequita Williams of Wesley Chapel, FL and Selena Bembow of Cordele, GA and a host of other nieces, nephews, cousins, and other relatives and many sorrowing friends. 

Mrs. Eddie Mae Christopher Gooden will repose on Friday, February 8, 2013 from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the Wilson Funeral Home, 3000 N. 29th Street, Tampa, FL.

Arrangements entrusted to WILSON FUNERAL HOME TAMPA, 3000 N. 29th Street, Tampa, FL 33605. "A WILSON SERVICE." www.wilson-funeralhome.com.