Mamie Delores Gooden was born to the late James, Sr. and Eleanor Brown on
March 1, 1932. She and her brother James were born to this union. She departed this life on April 4, 2022 in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Delores was educated in the public school system of Stafford County, VA and graduated from Dunbar Senior High School in Washington, DC. She also received her Paralegal certificate at George Washington University. Delores was employed at Sunset Delicatessen in Washington, DC; working alongside her brother for many, many years. The Delicatessen was where she met the love of her life Jonathan “Joe” Gooden. He always talked about how he came into the store, day after day, until she finally gave in and started dating him. On January 7, 1965 they were united in holy matrimony. After the business was sold, she worked at Barney Senior Center as a Social Service Worker assisting the elderly in Washington, DC. After many years of service and commuting back and forth between Washington, DC and Virginia, she finally decided to retire in Virginia.

Some of her favorite past times were attending church services, shopping, eating out at restaurants and most importantly talking with family and friends. She was a fashionable dresser who always wore those stunning and glamorous hats that would turn heads as she walked by.

Delores was a founding member at Canaan Baptist Church in Washington, DC and actively attended services at Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church in Fredericksburg, VA. At Canaan, she was a member of the Willing Workers Club.

Delores was preceded in death by her parents, James, Sr. and Eleanor Brown and daughter, Saundra Culbreath. She leaves to cherish her legacy and sweet memories, her husband Jonathan “Joe” Gooden, daughter Joy Farquhar and son Quintin Culbreath; four grandchildren, Matthew Culbreath (Stacey), Brittani Mountain, Jala Farquhar and Amani Farquhar; great-granddaughter Mia Flores and great-grandson Luca Culbreath; her baby brother James G. Brown, Jr. and his wife Louise; nieces, Bonita Ford (Alonzo), Adrienne Hughes (Robert), Tina Brown, Janet Dade (Arthur) and LaTanya Robertson (Diarra) and a host of family and friends, who are too numerous to name, but who were special in so many ways.