October 5, 2006

OBITUARIES

Frances Mellinger Goodman

Frances Mellinger Goodman died unexpectedly Sept. 30. She was 80.

She was born in 1925 in Reading, Pa., the daughter of William and Amy Mellinger. Frances moved to Yellow Springs as a young woman, graduating from Antioch College and later earning a masters degree in social work.

She later moved to New York City where she practiced social work for a period of time. It was in 1950 that she met her future husband and the love of her life, Selig Goodman, at a Quaker peace conference, where they shared their pacifist ideas. In 1963 they moved to Yellow Springs to raise a family.

Frances was a natural Quaker as she abhorred violence and was amazingly accepting and tolerant of all viewpoints. She loved children and when hers were grown, she dedicated many years to providing quality infant care to many parents of Yellow Springs, first in her home and later on the ground floor of Birch Hall at Antioch College as part of Yellow Springs Infant Care Center.

Frances spent a great part of her adult life as a resident of Yellow Springs, sharing the ideals of peace, acceptance, and her ever-evolving wish for the betterment of mankind.

Frances was a wonderful mother to all her children and a dedicated wife to her husband, who preceded her in death in 1990. She contributed to and was an active member of the Yellow Springs Friends meeting for many years. As a life-long pacifist and peace activist, she protested unjust policies in the federal government through nonviolent means while working as the hostess at Davis House, a Quaker international boarding house in Washington, D.C. In the early 1990s she traveled to Sri Lanka to work as a human shield against violent unrest there.

Frances worked in prisons with the Alternatives to Violence program. At one point she was deeply touched when an inmate told her that, if he had a mom like her, he wouldn’t be in prison. She -volunteered -regularly with Planned Parenthood and Senior Citizens but joked that the Senior Citizens was full of old people. Truly, in her heart she was ageless.

Frances was loved by many and will be missed in her community. She was “not too big on housework” and believed “cheap is beautiful.” She was a tolerant person who believed all people were good and equal. Among the special delights of Frances’ life were her faithful dog, Danny Boy, theater, reading mysteries, good friends and her family.

A world traveler, she spent two years living in Guam and another two years living in New Delhi, India, with her family.

Frances is survived by her sons and a daughter-in-law, David Goodman of Yellow Springs, and Eugene and Lucy Goodman of Eaton, Ohio; her daughters and a son-in-law, Carla and David Allen of Wilmington, N.C., and Doreen Goodman of Fairborn; grandchildren, Megan Johnston, Antonio Goodman, Amanda Johnston; and a brother, Bill Mellinger of Reading, Pa.

Memorial services will be held for Frances M. Goodman at Rockford Chapel, on the Antioch College campus, on Saturday Oct. 7, at 4 p.m.

The family is asking, in lieu of flowers, that those who wish send contributions to the Community Children’s Center, 320 Corry Street, Yellow Springs, in her name.

George F. Britton

George F. Britton of Yellow Springs died Thursday, Sept. 28, at his home. He was 74.

George, the only child of George and Minnie Britton, was born Aug. 9, 1932, in Waycross, Ga. He graduated from Center High School in Waycross. He received his BS in mathematics from Morehouse College in Atlanta, and his BSME from Howard University in Washington, D.C.

George proudly served in the United States Army during the Korean War. He was a member of Yellow Springs United Methodist Church and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.

After 31 years of service, George retired from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, where he worked in the Propulsion Lab, in reconnaissance and as chief engineer for the Air Force’s PRAM office. He was the recipient of several achievements, commendations and performance awards.

George is survived by his wife of 48 years, Evelyn; son, Kenneth Britton; daughter-in-law, Wendy Haynes-Britton; granddaughter, Kendra Britton; a niece, Marjorie Cone; grandniece Chertrise Monet Cone Britton and a host of other relatives and close friends.

Funeral services were held on Tuesday, Oct. 3, at the Yellow Springs United Methodist Church, with interment following at Veterans National Cemetery in Dayton. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Yellow Springs United Methodist Church or Hospice of Dayton in memory of George.

Nolan Miller

Nolan Miller of Yellow Springs, died at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 30, in Friends Care Center. He was 99.

He was born May 4, 1907, in Ohio, to John H. and Elizabeth (Myers) Miller.

He had been employed as an English professor at Antioch College for 28 years, retiring in 1973. Prior to that he worked as a teacher at Mackenzie High School in Detroit, Mich. Nolan was an accomplished writer, having written several novels and short stories.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, Gailord and Lowell.

He is survived by a brother, Richard Miller of Yellow Springs, and many devoted friends and students. Memorial donations may be made to the Antioch Review. Conroy Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.

An extended obituary of Nolan Miller will appear in next week’s News.

An Open House for Grace Alexander

An Open House in memory of Grace Joan "Kerry" Alexander will be held on what would have been her 78th birthday, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 3:30–6:30 p.m. at The Antioch Inn on the Antioch College campus. Grace died Monday, March 6, at University Hospital in Cincinnati, after a brief battle with cancer.