she made a difference in the world

when i was in grade school, i had the distinct honor of being a student in Mrs. Betty Goodness's class (for 2 years!--no i didnt flunk she taught 2nd and 3rd-haha) anyway i found out today that she has passed away. and to be honest, i hadnt thought of her in years. but for some reason when i heard she was no longer with us, i started to cry. she was THE best teacher a student couldve ever asked for. she made learning fun and brought excitement to your everyday life. she always made me feel extremely special and treated me like she thought i was. even bringing back little souveniers from her trips to europe for me--the music box that sang Lara's Theme, the beautiful dutch shoes, and the funky floppy hat from london. i can still hear her sing "do your ears hang low" haha she was plagued with lots of medical prbs toward the end of her life and rarely left the house in the past few years but everytime i see a little yellow VW bug i think of her :) she was a beautiful lady inside and out--she will truely be missed...



BETTY COVEY GOODNESS

Betty Covey Goodness was born March 14, 1931, to Rev. Carl and Ica Covey in Elk City, OK where her father was the pastor of First Christian Church. Her childhood was spent in Elk City, Duncan, Shawnee, Enid and Oklahoma City, OK where she attended Harding Jr. High and Classen, where she graduated in 1949.

Betty earned her bachelor of education degree in 1953 from Phillips University and her master of education degree in 1963. It was while she attended Phillips that she met and married Jim Goodness on June 17, 1951. She taught in Enid for 29 years, retiring in May 1992.

She was a member of many professional organizations, as well as participating actively in her church wherever she was needed. She taught Sunday school classes, sang in the church choir, as well as singing solos, playing the piano and organ, directing women’s and children’s choruses and directing children’s bell choirs during the 27 years that she and Jim served as ministers of music at Central United Methodist Church, which is now Willow View United Methodist. She also taught 30 piano and voice students before beginning to teach full time for the Enid school system.

She belonged to, and was officer of, many professional organizations. She was a member of NEA, OEA, EEA, Delta Kappa Gamma, KKI, and the Cherokee Strip Reading Council. She became a member of the Enid Literacy Council and after retiring from active teaching in Enid public schools, she spent 40 or more hours each week teaching adults to read in the literacy room at the Enid Public Library.

In 1983, Betty received the first “My Favorite Teacher” Award presented to honor an Oklahoma teacher by Channel 9 News in Oklahoma City. That same year she was chosen as the “Teacher of the Year” by her fellow teachers at Monroe Elementary School. She received an award presented by the governor for the State Historical Society for the song “Oklahoma” which was especially written for children so they might learn at an early age the names of our state flower, bird, tree, etc. She loved and cared very much for every student in her classes. She was the happiest when working around and with her students.

Betty is survived by her husband, Jim Goodness, of the home, her two sons, David Brent Goodness and his wife Chris of Lake Charles, LA, and Robert Kent Goodness of Enid, OK, as well many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

She was preceded in death by her sister Mary Jane McIlvain and Pat McIlvain, her brother-in-law, and also Charles Goodness, her brother-in-law.

Betty wants us to remember most about her that “she cared about us all.”