Frankye Roberta Gomez, 83, the daughter of the late Ionia E. Johnson Wooden and Robert Coleman was born in Augusta Georgia on December 21, 1935. Frankye is a 1953 graduate of Alfred E. Beach High School (Savannah, Georgia). Frankye was active in sports during her high school years and served as her high school basketball captain. She also attended Savannah State University where she studied business Administration.
After completing her education in the early sixties, she moved to New Haven, where she worked at Vernon Pest Control in research. Also in the mid-sixties she worked for Community Program Incorporated. In 1970, Frankie worked in the Yellow Pages for Southern New England Telephone Company, where she retired in 2003.
Frankye loved progressive growth not only in self, and children, but also in her community and neighborhood, and many can attest by the structure for safety of all occupants, or the flowers, and plants she planted for all to enjoy, when she served as the president (1968 – 2003) of the Dwight Cooperative homes, where she resided up until her demise.
Frankye also volunteered on many campaign committees for electoral officers of New Haven and State of Connecticut who stood to represent the citizens of their district, with a long list of state and local recognition for her devoted and valued services. In the mid 60’s, in her work as a neighborhood worker in the Dixwell Office of Community Progress, Inc., New Haven Community Action Program, Frankye sat on a panel with the Director of Connecticut’s OEO along with officials of Connecticut Civil Rights Commission that discussed civil rights and opportunity programs. In 1977 Frankye also used her athleticism in basketball to play for the “Women for Political Change” basketball team. Equally, Frankye contributed her time having volunteered in all of her children’s activities such as, dance classes, the local YWCA, and the Eli Whitney District Boys Scouts of America, and at some point served as athletic director of the YWCA.
Immediately after moving to New Haven Frankye joined the Mount Bethel Missionary Baptist Church under the Pastorship of Reverend Davis who was also Frankye’s cousin; Frankye continued her attendance under new leadership until her health declined.
Frankye went home peacefully in her sleep on Thursday morning, May 23, 2019, at her home.
She leaves to cherish her memories her sons, Fredrick “Ricky” (Glenda) Woods of Savannah GA, Robert “Bobby” Woods of the home, and Eugene Gomez of Washington DC; daughter, Phyllis Woods (Pamela Brown) of West Haven; five grandchildren; two great-grandchild whom she dearly loved and one she adopted as her grandchild; and a host of dear friends, and relatives.