Alvaretta Young Godman, 94, of Huntsville died peacefully on Monday, April 14, 2014. She was predeceased by her husband of 65 years, John Robert Godman.
Alvaretta, known to family and friends as “Rett,” was born November 11, 1919, in Westover, PA, to Edward Park Young and Mildred Ginn Young. She was raised on a dairy farm where she was the oldest daughter in a family of ten children. In 1937 she moved to Washington, D.C. where she attended George Washington University and met her future husband, John. Alvaretta and John were married in 1942 and came to Huntsville in 1958. They joined Trinity United Methodist Church where Alvaretta sang in the Chancel Choir, served on the Altar Guild, and was a member of the UMW’s Circle of Love. Alvaretta and John enjoyed ballroom dancing and were members of Twickenham Ballroom Dancing Club. Alvaretta was a Red Cross volunteer at Huntsville Hospital for many years and earned the Red Cross Lifetime Pin. She was also an active volunteer with the Friends of Huntsville Library and a lifetime member of the Mayflower Society.
Survivors include two daughters, Diane Godman Gabbard and husband Gary Gabbard of Park Hills, KY and Carolyn Godman Burke of Greensboro, NC; four grandsons, Brandon Gabbard and wife Natalie Gabbard of Covington, KY, Justin Gabbard of Covington, KY, Kevin Burke and wife Emily Burke of Franklin, IN, and Andrew Burke of Los Angeles; and three great grandchildren, Grace Gabbard of Covington, KY and Matthew and Jonathan Burke of Franklin, IN. Additional survivors are her sisters, Mary Lou Holcomb, Floyd Stokes, Bernice “Skip” Pearce, Ruth Sherbeck, and Edith Bush; her brother Thomas Young; and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her brothers, Charles Young, Arthur Young, and Roger Young.
Visitation will be Thursday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Laughlin Service Funeral Home. Services will be held 3:00 p.m. on Friday at Trinity United Methodist Church. Burial will be in Harmony Church Cemetery in Westover, PA.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Trinity United Methodist Church, 607 Airport Road, Huntsville, AL 35802 or the Harmony Church Cemetery Fund, 3223 Schellers Bend, Unit 220, State College, PA 16801.
