Samuel Eugene Gooden

Our beloved and awesome Dad, Samuel E. Gooden, more lovingly known as Uncle Sam, Brother Sam and Pops was born to George and Wilhelmina Gooden on December 18, 1923, in Ashton, Westmoreland, Jamaica, West Indies. He answered the call to join the Angels in Heaven on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at 6:30PM. He was preceded in death by his parents, eight brothers and three sisters, Stanford, Linford, Sydney, John, Thomas, Zitroy, Eric, Frederick, Gertrude, Rhoda, and Louise, respectively. He is survived by his children, Karen, Michael and Leonard, grandchildren, Zeke, Joshua, Kayla, Albany, and Sydni and great grandchild Landon. Siblings Levi and Rose, daughter-in-law Karen, son-in-law Zarak and a host of nieces and nephews in Jamaica, United States, England and Germany. Samuel attended Ashton Primary School and Ashton Moravian Church in Westmoreland, Jamaica. After school, he worked as a farmer, bought, and sold goods in Kingston including animals such as goats and pigs. He also worked as an inventory clerk at a department store in Savanna-La-Mar, Westmoreland, Jamaica. He then emigrated to the United States to work in Bell Glade, Florida as a farm worker in the cane fields and later got promoted to become a head chef of the cafeteria for the farm workers. He married his first wife Bonita Sharpe, and they had one daughter named Karen. Years later, he moved to Detroit, Michigan seeking work in the Automotive industry where he worked for all three American Automakers and eventually narrowed it down to Ford Motor Company. He married Carmeita Miller and had son Michael and Carmeita's first son Leonard. He made great investments in Real Estate and raised a beautiful and loving family. After 27 years at Ford Motor Company, he retired to South Florida where he and his wife, Carmeita became extremely involved in United Methodist Church of the Palm Beaches where he made a joyful noise onto the Lord as an active member of the United Methodist Choir. A viewing will be held at the United Methodist Church of the Palm Beaches on Friday, May 24, 2024, from 11:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. The funeral service will be held at 12:00 P.M. with burial to take place immediately following the service at Our Lady of Queen Peace Cemetery. The repast will follow immediately after the cemetery at United Methodist Church of the Palm Beaches.