Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Feb 11, 2015 11:07:58 GMT -6
Friends and family paid their respects at a memorial service this week for cartoonist Cleven “Goodie” Goudeau, who founded the first black greeting card company in the United States. Goudeau died Jan. 26 at age 83.
www.timesheraldonline.com/general-news/20150210/hundreds-say-goodbye-to-goodie-goudeau-in-vallejo
Hundreds say goodbye to Goodie Goudeau in Vallejo
One by one they passed the casket, stopping for a last view, a last prayer, a last kind word for the man who had a kind word for everyone.
Goodie Goudeau, who once said he only graciously goes by his real first name of Cleven “if it’s on a check given to me for my art,” was laid to rest Tuesday following a packed service at the Imani Fellowship Presybyterian Church and repast at the Naval and Historical Museum.
Goudeau, creator of the first African-American greeting card company in the United States, died Jan. 26 of natural causes. He was 83.
With his smile-inducing caricatures, omnipresent smile and calm demeanor, Goudeau was a mentor to not only hundreds of young students, but adult artists as well.
T.J. Walkup, one of the few speakers at the noon service, said he had a “special relationship” with Goudeau that led to a nearly-complete documentary about the award-winning artist.
Walkup stood behind a podium, a few feet from an artist’s rendering of Goudeau. A framed photo of Goudeau was placed on an easel close to the casket.
“With Goodie, you always felt special no matter how quirky you were,” Walkup said. “Goodie was an amazing person who changed my life. He was so good at so many things.”
Walkup said Goudeau died “in total peace, and he went away with total grace and beauty, the way he led his life.”
Leslie Patrick handled the Goudeaus’ legal matters when the then-young couple walked into the Berkeley lawyer’s office in the mid-1960s, explaining what they wanted to do with the greeting cards. “Goodie says, ‘We would like to start a company. We want to be the first black greeting card company in the country.”
Patrick was perplexed.
“I said, ‘What?’ And Goodie repeated it slowly so I could understand. ‘We ... would like to be ... the... first ... black ... greeting card ... company ... in ...the country.’”
Goudeau never shouted or screamed, Patrick said, but “he was very direct.”
Patrick saved two of Goudeau’s greeting cards — one a black angel praying, and a second with the text, “We Miss You.” He framed both as a gift to Jeanette Goudeau.
“Goodie, we do miss you and will never forget you,” Patrick said, to rousing applause.
Author Carolyn Patrick Scott read a poem, “The Goodie,” and said “a smile was the first thing you noticed” on the man who was “a mild-mannered master of color, shape and form.”
Patrick said she knew immediately that picking Goudeau as the illustrator for her book about Egypt was the right move.
“He was a dream to work with,” she said. “He was all about positivity. Goodie said, ‘Don’t say you can’t, say you will do it.’”
Goudeau’s status in the community was indicated by the 250 attendees, including elected officials: Vallejo Mayor Osby Davis, councilmembers Robert McConnell and Rozzana Verder-Aliga; school board members Tony Ubalde and Ace Ward; Michael Wilson, representing Solano County Supervisor Erin Hannigan; Mel Orpilla, field rep for U.S. Rep. Congressman Mike Thompson; and Ron Turner, representing Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla. Former Vallejo Mayor Tony Intintoli was also present.
Davis, accompanied by Verder-Aliga and McConnell, read a proclamation praising Goudeau for his achievements. Goudeau, it read, enriched the city of Vallejo “not only in arts, but being a great human being who cared about people.”
Davis told how he had received a gift one time from Goudeau.
“A little sketch of myself,” Davis said smiling. “Big nose and everything.”
The drawing remains on the mantle at the Davis home.
“I have fond memories of that,” the mayor said.
The Rev. Charles D. Tinsley, Goudeau’s pastor for three years, officiated the service and recalled several extended conversations with Goudeau.
“I had the opportunity to have some long conversations. Anybody relate to that?” Tinsley said as many nodded.
Goudeau shared his career, his high school experience as classmates of basketball great Bill Russell and musician John Handy and, Goudeau’s true passion, teaching young people.
Tinsley said he would talk of his own work as chaplain with the Contra Costa County Juvenile Detention System and Goudeau’s eyes would light up.
“He was so interested in the comings and goings of young people,” Tinsley said. “He wanted to mentor them. He wanted to teach people and share his gift. And he wanted to reach out to the ones who found themselves in an abyss, to counsel them and help them find a direction.”
Tinsley then apologized to radio station KBLX, borrowing its slogan, “quiet storm,” to describe Goudeau.
“He shared his hatred for injustice, his love of peace and he talked of times of discrimination, repression and oppression and how he didn’t want to return to those times,” Tinseley said.
Now, the pastor said, “the quiet storm is gone. And we have been blessed by being touched by that quiet storm.”
www.timesheraldonline.com/general-news/20150210/hundreds-say-goodbye-to-goodie-goudeau-in-vallejo
Hundreds say goodbye to Goodie Goudeau in Vallejo
One by one they passed the casket, stopping for a last view, a last prayer, a last kind word for the man who had a kind word for everyone.
Goodie Goudeau, who once said he only graciously goes by his real first name of Cleven “if it’s on a check given to me for my art,” was laid to rest Tuesday following a packed service at the Imani Fellowship Presybyterian Church and repast at the Naval and Historical Museum.
Goudeau, creator of the first African-American greeting card company in the United States, died Jan. 26 of natural causes. He was 83.
With his smile-inducing caricatures, omnipresent smile and calm demeanor, Goudeau was a mentor to not only hundreds of young students, but adult artists as well.
T.J. Walkup, one of the few speakers at the noon service, said he had a “special relationship” with Goudeau that led to a nearly-complete documentary about the award-winning artist.
Walkup stood behind a podium, a few feet from an artist’s rendering of Goudeau. A framed photo of Goudeau was placed on an easel close to the casket.
“With Goodie, you always felt special no matter how quirky you were,” Walkup said. “Goodie was an amazing person who changed my life. He was so good at so many things.”
Walkup said Goudeau died “in total peace, and he went away with total grace and beauty, the way he led his life.”
Leslie Patrick handled the Goudeaus’ legal matters when the then-young couple walked into the Berkeley lawyer’s office in the mid-1960s, explaining what they wanted to do with the greeting cards. “Goodie says, ‘We would like to start a company. We want to be the first black greeting card company in the country.”
Patrick was perplexed.
“I said, ‘What?’ And Goodie repeated it slowly so I could understand. ‘We ... would like to be ... the... first ... black ... greeting card ... company ... in ...the country.’”
Goudeau never shouted or screamed, Patrick said, but “he was very direct.”
Patrick saved two of Goudeau’s greeting cards — one a black angel praying, and a second with the text, “We Miss You.” He framed both as a gift to Jeanette Goudeau.
“Goodie, we do miss you and will never forget you,” Patrick said, to rousing applause.
Author Carolyn Patrick Scott read a poem, “The Goodie,” and said “a smile was the first thing you noticed” on the man who was “a mild-mannered master of color, shape and form.”
Patrick said she knew immediately that picking Goudeau as the illustrator for her book about Egypt was the right move.
“He was a dream to work with,” she said. “He was all about positivity. Goodie said, ‘Don’t say you can’t, say you will do it.’”
Goudeau’s status in the community was indicated by the 250 attendees, including elected officials: Vallejo Mayor Osby Davis, councilmembers Robert McConnell and Rozzana Verder-Aliga; school board members Tony Ubalde and Ace Ward; Michael Wilson, representing Solano County Supervisor Erin Hannigan; Mel Orpilla, field rep for U.S. Rep. Congressman Mike Thompson; and Ron Turner, representing Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla. Former Vallejo Mayor Tony Intintoli was also present.
Davis, accompanied by Verder-Aliga and McConnell, read a proclamation praising Goudeau for his achievements. Goudeau, it read, enriched the city of Vallejo “not only in arts, but being a great human being who cared about people.”
Davis told how he had received a gift one time from Goudeau.
“A little sketch of myself,” Davis said smiling. “Big nose and everything.”
The drawing remains on the mantle at the Davis home.
“I have fond memories of that,” the mayor said.
The Rev. Charles D. Tinsley, Goudeau’s pastor for three years, officiated the service and recalled several extended conversations with Goudeau.
“I had the opportunity to have some long conversations. Anybody relate to that?” Tinsley said as many nodded.
Goudeau shared his career, his high school experience as classmates of basketball great Bill Russell and musician John Handy and, Goudeau’s true passion, teaching young people.
Tinsley said he would talk of his own work as chaplain with the Contra Costa County Juvenile Detention System and Goudeau’s eyes would light up.
“He was so interested in the comings and goings of young people,” Tinsley said. “He wanted to mentor them. He wanted to teach people and share his gift. And he wanted to reach out to the ones who found themselves in an abyss, to counsel them and help them find a direction.”
Tinsley then apologized to radio station KBLX, borrowing its slogan, “quiet storm,” to describe Goudeau.
“He shared his hatred for injustice, his love of peace and he talked of times of discrimination, repression and oppression and how he didn’t want to return to those times,” Tinseley said.
Now, the pastor said, “the quiet storm is gone. And we have been blessed by being touched by that quiet storm.”