She Did Have a Daughter Named Lucy

In keeping with my recent articles about acts of kindness, I am copying an email I received this week and a couple of emails that followed. I have left out last names and details to protect the privacy of the special lady who sent the email. But it is too inspiring not to share with all of you.

The act of kindness is the fact that Mary took the time to seek out a person who impacted her life as a child.

I haven’t spoken to my sister yet but I have a feeling she just received the best Christmas gift she will get this year. And it didn’t cost Mary a dime.

Thanks Mary. I haven’t met you but I have a feeling I will one day real soon. Your act of kindness inspired me this morning.

And I have a strong feeling many others will be inspired to practice other random acts of kindness as a result of yours.

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Mr. Goddard - My name is Mary. I am looking for my 5th grade teacher whose name was Naia Goddard Newton. She taught at Conley Hills Elementary School in East Point Georgia in the 60's. I was in the 5th grade in 1968-69. I am now an elementary school librarian in South Carolina.

In a training session last week the instructor asked us to think about who in our lives inspired our curiosity and love of learning. For years I have said 5th grade was my best year in school because the teacher made learning so much fun. She did creative things that were new to us and treated us like we were special unique individuals. I remember her husband bringing their enormous St. Bernard to play with us at recess one day, and she invited several students to her house for a little party one Saturday. I would love to write to her and tell her how much she meant to me.

I did a Google search on her name which led me to your web site.

I just wondered if she was by chance a relative of yours, and if so, if you would be willing to share contact information with me. I have NO idea how I knew or now remember that her maiden name was Goddard, but for some reason that sticks with me. (My brain is full of such useful data, but I don't always know where my car keys are…)

Thank you very much for your help!

I enjoyed reading the posts on your blog as well. My neice's husband is a firefighter in East Point, and your story about the Atlanta firefighter was very moving.

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Mary, you have found the person you are looking for. Naia Goddard Newton (pictured here) is my sister. We call her Kikky and the husband you knew who brought the St. Bernard (Andy) to school died a few years ago. Kikky's last name now is Williams.

She will be delighted to read what you said and she will be in touch I am sure. She is still as wonderful as she was when you knew her almost 40 years ago.

I am copying her on this email. I will also send you a copy of my book and you can read all about her family as well.

Best wishes to you. - Bruce Goddard

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Wow!! I am so thrilled to hear from you. I've often thought of the kids at Conley Hills and have wondered what happened to each of you. Bruce has told you below a little about me.

After leaving Atlanta in 70 we moved to Waycross, GA (near Jacksonville, FL)and were there for 37 years. I have 3 children (2 daughters and a son)and 3 grandkids (6 month old triplet girls). Need I say - I love those babies!!!

After retiring and remarrying, we moved to Lake Sinclair in Milledgeville, about 2 hours south of Atlanta. The triplets live in Atlanta so this works great for me!

You must know that after Andy, the St. Bernard, died, we got Andy II and Andy III during the years following. Now my son and his family have one and, yes, his name is Andy IV. He lives in the house with them!! Wonder where he got such a crazy idea???

I'm thrilled that you are the librarian in an elementary school. I know you love it and they you! I became a school counselor and spent most of my years working in this capacity in an elementary school. I truly loved it.


Now we are enjoying retirement and all the grandkids. My husband has 4 kids and 5 grandchildren, so with them all, we are busy running up and down the road visiting!!

Thanks so much for your sweet remembrances of our year together. It was fun and I loved it!! I do remember some of you coming to our apartment one day and if I'm not mistaken we had chocolate cake!!

Do let me hear from you.

Kikky Newton Williams

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Thanks SO much for answering! I have thought of 5th grade so many times over my life and just remember it as a very special and fun year. I specifically remember you giving us a list of about 30 different ways to do a book report. I thought that was hugely fun, and I used some of the same ideas when I taught middle school English in Virginia in the early 80's.

I remember writing our own books and binding them with cardboard and contact paper. I felt like a real author. I even remember what mine was about! I remember that you bought every child in the class a small stuffed animal for Christmas and I thought you must be incredibly rich to be able to do that!

Mostly I remember that you paid attention to us and made me feel smart, special and cared for. My purpose of trying to find you was to thank you for touching my life in such a positive way and being one reason I do the work that I do now.

My journey to the library was not direct. I actually worked in the East Point Public Library during high school and always loved to read. I graduated from Headland HIgh School and went to Furman University where I majored in elementary ed, mainly because my parents insisted that I had to get a degree that connected to "doing" something! When I graduated I worked in Furman's admissions office for 2 years which was an awesome experience. I then married my college sweetheart and moved to Virginia for 6 years. He was a college sports information director. I did teach middle school for 3 years in Lexington, Va. where he worked. We then moved several times as he had trouble "growing up" and settling down to much of anything. I got a masters in counseling focusing on higher ed thinking that we would mainly be connected to colleges because of his work. To make a long story short, he lost a couple of jobs. I was offered a position back at Furman as Director of the Alumni Association. We moved back to Greenville and then divorced. It was painful, but was the right thing to do. I have one son who was 3 1/2 at the time. I loved my job, but found it harder and harder to be the kind of parent I wanted to be because I had to travel a lot and work weekends and weird hours.

My dad developed Alzheimers which cut off their role as my safety net for child care and support. Then my oldest sister died of cancer the year I turned 40. Somewhat impulsively I decided life was too short to spend so much of it working, found out I could get a master of library science degree through the University of SC via distance education classes in Greenville and just went for it!

I have not regretted a moment. School has always been a happy place for me, and I feel I am doing what I was born to do. My son is now a sophomore in college and doing great. He is majoring in history and political science and plays percussion in the marching band and other ensembles. He is the joy and light of my life. I have a great circle of friends and a second family in my church where I am very active. My mom and other sister live in Fayetteville which is not that far from you. I have several nieces and nephews in Fayette, Henry and Coweta counties as well.

I remember you saying you would like to have a daughter named Lucy, and wonder if you did that!

Thanks again for writing back. I was so excited to be able to find you because your brother's site mentioned you mom's name, Naia Goddard. I just took a chance there would be a connection. The Internet is pretty amazing (and a little scary at times) E-mail is such fun as well.

Take care, and have a joyful holiday season! Thanks again for being a positive part of my life!