Family remembers 'gentle' woman

The simple things in life were what excited Imogene Godfrey, who died Dec. 11 at her home in Clovis.

She was 74.

Her nephew, Tommy Firestone of Clovis, described his aunt as “quiet and gentle,” and said she loved Christmas.

“She ... really enjoyed receiving presents,” Firestone said.

“She got really excited,” he said. “We would take turns opening our gifts, and she would always open hers before we got around the room. That’s just a fond memory I have.”

Firestone said his aunt loved children.

“She loved my wife (Pam) and my two children (Jef and Jaymi) a lot,” he said.

Firestone said she didn’t get out much and kept to herself and always cared about her appearance.

Firestone said his aunt was meticulous about keeping appointments. That’s how the family learned she was ill.

“The hair dresser people called,” he said. “She never missed her appointments.”

When he and his mother, Fern Stewart of Clovis, went to her apartment to find out if she was OK, he found her lying on the floor, he said.

“It was traumatic,” Firestone said. “Best we could tell, she had a massive heart attack.”

In her later life, Godrey lived at Curry House in Clovis.

“She couldn’t drive and she never married,” he said. “She walked in high heels to Furr’s every day. She just kind of lived her life.”

Godfrey’s older sister, Jimmalee Nieves, lived with her for 12 years during early years in Midland, Texas.

“We shared expenses and did things together, and I had a son,” Nieves said.

“She was a very attractive person,” she said of her sister. “She was very dependable, conscientious and always went to work. She was a good employee.”

When they lived together, Nieves said Godfrey didn’t want to do yard work.

“She didn’t want anybody to see her working in the yard,” Nieves said. “I enjoyed yard work, but she didn’t see it that way.”

Godfrey was born Jan. 27, 1929, in Granite, Okla., to James Bryan and Lola Orene Everett Godfrey.

She graduated from Field High School in May 1947 and attended Eastern New Mexico University.

She was employed at Citizens Bank in Clovis, Commercial Bank & Trust Co. in Midland and in admissions at Clovis Memorial Hospital before her retirement.

Obit stats

Number of deaths in December: 69

Average age of deceased: 72

Oldest deceased: 100

Youngest deceased: 0

Number of deaths in 2003: 923

Average age of deceased: 73

Oldest deceased: 104

Youngest deceased: 0