Spirit: - The Salvation Army USA (Southern Territory)

6honoredRETIREMENTJuly 9, 2008Lt. Colonels David andMartha MothershedBy Dan ChildsSouthern Spirit staffLt. Colonels David and Martha Mothershedcelebrated 31 years of officership together, gatheringwith friends and family at a retirement dinner atthe Gwinnett Marriott in Atlanta. CommissionerB. Gordon Swyers presided over the program andCommissioner Max Feener presented the certificate ofretirement.Lt. Colonel W. Edward Laity, the Mothersheds’training principal, and Sergeant Durai Pandithurairecalled their long friendship with David and Martha,and their children, David, Deanna and Tina, eachparticipated in the program.David Mothershed served as territorial businessadministration secretary in his final appointment.He had served previously as territorial financialsecretary for 13 years and as territory propertysecretary for three years. Martha Mothershed servedLt. Colonels David and Martha Mothershedreceive their retirement certificatefrom Commissioner Max Feener.in several appointments at THQ, includingmulticultural ministries secretary, moraland ethical issues secretary and in specialservices in the Finance Department andWomen’s Department, where she served in her finalappointment as Silver Star secretary/special services.David and Martha Mothershed were enrolled asSalvation Army soldiers on the same day – Nov. 16,1956. However, Martha was in the city of Manzanilloin her beloved native country of Cuba while Davidwas being enrolled in Tampa, Fla. Martha is thedaughter of Cuban Salvation Army officers Moisesand Ernestina Suarez. She and her sister Miriam(Musgrave) witnessed the revolution led by FidelCastro and the subsequent fall of the Batista regimein 1958-59. The Suarezes were able to get theirdaughters out of Cuba and into Tampa.David and Martha soon began dating and weremarried in 1961. They were accepted as candidatesfor the 1962 session but decided to wait until Davidcompleted college. After he earned his degree, hebegan a career as a structural engineer, and theybegan raising a family. But years later they againexperienced the call to officership and set out on anew journey. After they were commissioned withthe Companions of Christ in 1977, they served incorps in Sand Springs, Okla.; and Melbourne, Fla.Divisional staff appointments in Florida, Georgia andTexas followed, and in 1992 they were appointed toterritorial headquarters.In retirement, they will reside at 241 Cathey Lane,Lilburn, GA 30047.Lt. Colonels William and Mary Lee GoodierBy Major Frank DuracherSouthern Spirit staffA retirement luncheon in Atlanta celebrated“A Journey of Trust” taken by Lt. Colonels Williamand Mary Lee Goodier. Commissioner B. GordonSwyers presided over the program, which includedthe presentation of the retirement certificate to theGoodiers by Commissioner Raymond A. Cooper.William Robert Norman Goodier was born Feb.27, 1942, in Miami, Fla., to William R.N. and ReneeGoodier. Like most officers’ children he movedfrequently during his childhood. It was in Dallas thathe was enrolled as a soldier and began playing cornetin the Dallas Temple Band. After the family wastransferred to Washington, he met and began datingMary Lee. In 1959, the family moved to Baltimore,where Bill graduated from high school in 1960 andattended the University of Maryland.The younger of two daughters, Mary LeeCunningham was born to Glenn and MaryCunningham Jan., 10, 1942 in Baltimore. Mary Leewas an active soldier, bandsman, songster, and had aMajor Fay BrittleMajor Fay Brittle was honored with aretirement dinner in the company of familyand friends gathered in Little Rock, Ark.Lt. Colonel Robert J. Tritton presided overthe program, and Commissioner Fred Ruthconducted the retirement ceremony andpresented the certificate to Major Brittle.Other program participates were:Major Kenneth Luyk, Lt. Colonel EugeneSlusher, Major Daniel New, Major JohnJordan, Captain Lewis Reckline, MajorMark Satterlee, Captain Jackie Reckline,Major Owen Gilliam, Major Peggy Mullins,Elijah New, Major Bea Boalt, Nancy Bodard,Commissioner Lennie Feener, CaptainsPhilip and Cindy Wise, and Major HenryGonzalez.Gloria Fay New left her home in Anniston, Ala., toenter the training college in 1970 as a member of theLightbringers session. It was in training that she metCadet Richard Brittle, who became the love of herlife. They married on January 19, 1973, and took theirfirst appointment together in the Mountain Mission inHot Springs, N.C. Their daughter, Dorothy, was bornpart in all of the youth programs. Followingher high school graduation in 1960, sheentered the Washington Hospital CenterSchool of Nursing, graduating in 1963.Bill and Mary Lee were married inSeptember 1963 and later entered trainingas members of the Evangelists session.They were commissioned in 1969 andsent to Staunton, Va., with two other corpsappointments following until they began10 years on divisional staff positions. In1988 they were sent to THQ, and in 1992Bill attended the International College forOfficers. While at ICO, Bill was asked if heand Mary Lee would be willing to take anappointment in the Caribbean Territory. InJune 1993 they assumed their posts overseas,Bill as territorial financial and property secretary andMary Lee as child sponsorship and women’s auxiliarysecretary.They returned home in 1996, back to THQ – Bill asrisk management secretary and Mary Lee as women’sMajor Fay Brittle receives a certificate of exceptional service fromCommissioner Max Feener. The official retirement certificate was presentedto her by Commissioner Fred Ruth.in 1975, and son, David, arrived in 1978.Fay and Richard served in various corps in theNorth & South Carolina Division, and then theArkansas-Oklahoma Division, before becomingarea commanders at Galveston, Texas. Other areacommand appointments in the Texas and Alabama-Louisiana-Mississippi Division followed.The most challenging appointment was at theLt. Colonels William R.N. and Mary Lee Goodier receive theircertificate of retirement from Commissioner Raymond A.Cooper.auxiliary secretary. In 1998, Mary Lee assumed theposition of assistant territorial women’s ministriessecretary, and in 2001 Bill became the legal secretary– from which they both now retire.The Goodiers’ address in retirement is: 7045 HeardRoad, Cumming, GA 30041.New Orleans Area Command, whenHurricane Katrina struck in 2005. Thesewere difficult days. After Katrina, theywere appointed to Greensboro, N.C.,where they had to take sick leave.In February 2007, the Brittles weresent to Little Rock as area commanders.Major Richard Brittle was sick for sometime after Katrina, but it worsened here.His surgery in August 2007 showed thathe had advanced stage 4 cancer. Thedoctor said that this form of cancer couldbe attributed to the polluted waters hewas exposed to in the aftermath of thehurricane.During Richard’s illness in 2007, Faynever left his side. He was promoted toGlory on January 5, 2008.During Major Fay Brittle’s retirement ceremony,she was lauded by Commissioner Max Feener forexceptional service. In addition, the Center of Hope inNew Orleans has been renamed the “Major RichardBrittle Center of Hope.”Major Fay Brittle’s retirement address will be: 34Ouachita Drive, Maumelle, AR 72113.