Promoted to Glory: Lt. Colonel Mary Lee Goodier
On August 11, 2024, Lt. Colonel Mary Lee Goodier was Promoted to Glory at the age of 82.
Mary Lee Cunningham was born on January 10, 1942, in Baltimore, MD, as the youngest of two daughters to officer-parents Glenn and Mary Cunningham.
In 1953, following two appointments in West Virginia, the family moved to the Southeast Corps in Washington, DC, for the next 14 years. Mary Lee was an active soldier, corps cadet, commissioner’s sunbeam, girl guard, songster, bandsman, Sunday school teacher, future officer fellowship member, and co-leader of the National Capital Division young adult fellowship, as well as a member of the National Capital Band.
The beautiful and tender love story of Mary Lee and her future husband, William Goodier, began in 1958. After graduating from high school, Mary Lee entered a three-year resident course with the Washington Hospital Center School of Nursing, where she earned her degree/certification as a registered nurse in 1963, working on the surgical floor. That same year, she and William married. In 1967, Mary Lee gave birth to their first son, William Derward, and later that year, Bill and Mary Lee Goodier entered the School For Officers Training as members of the Evangelists session of cadets and were commissioned two years later in 1969.
Their first appointment was to Staunton, VA as corps officers, where their second son, Mark Christopher, was born. Subsequent corps appointments included Marietta and Rome, GA. In 1978, they went to their first of several divisional headquarters appointments in Texas (Mary Lee as assistant league of mercy secretary), then Arkansas-Oklahoma (league of mercy secretary/nurses fellowship secretary), North & South Carolina (league of mercy secretary/nurses fellowship secretary), and Maryland-West Virginia (assistant home league secretary).
In 1988, Captains Goodier were sent to Southern Territorial Headquarters where she served as assistant nurses fellowship secretary, followed by an appointment as assistant supplies & purchasing secretary in 1991. She then served from 1993 to 1996 as child sponsorship secretary with added responsibility for the Kingston, Jamaica women’s auxiliary in the Caribbean Territory.
The Goodiers returned to the Southern Territory where she was first territorial women’s auxiliary secretary, and then director of the office of social issues. Her final appointment as an active officer was in the role of assistant territorial women’s ministries secretary in 1998, with added responsibility as women’s outreach ministries secretary in 2005.
In 2008, after more than 40 years of active service, Lt. Colonels William and Mary Lee retired to their home in Cumming, GA. Through their career, and throughout retirement, she actively supported corps activities at the Atlanta Temple Corps. The home league was especially close to her heart, and she served in several key leadership roles there. She was instrumental in preparing funeral meals for families at Atlanta Temple for many years. She also mentored young adult women and led them in a Bible study class.
Lt. Colonel Mary Lee Goodier is survived by her husband of 60 years, Lt. Colonel William R.N. Goodier; their sons, William D. Goodier and Mark (Heather) Goodier; one sister, Glendalee (Michael) Downs; as well as two grandsons.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at the Atlanta Temple Corps on Friday, August 23, 2024, at 10:00 a.m.