Obituary: Don Goldbold

Don Godbold

January 17, 1948 - April 16, 2026

78 Years of age

A celebration of life will be held for Don Godbold at 1 p.m., Monday, April 20, 2026, at Friendship Baptist Church with burial in the church cemetery. Visitation will start at 10 a.m. until time of service at the church.

Don Godbold, 78, of Brookhaven, MS, passed away on April 16, 2026, at his residence. He was born on January 17, 1948, at Kings Daughters Medical Center in Brookhaven to the late S. M. Godbold, Sr. and Francis Kyzar Godbold.

He was a member for over 40 years at Brookhaven Church of the Nazarene. He served on the church board for many years and as Sunday School Superintendent. After the church closure he became a member of Friendship Baptist Church. He was a 1966 graduate of McComb High School and graduated in March 1968 from Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science.

After graduation, Don wed Sue Allred and they had a long loving relationship. In 1978, after working eight years at Catchings Funeral Home, the family moved to Brookhaven. There he started work at Southern Wholesale Company while still working part time for several area funeral homes. In 1987, he began working for the next 16 years full time in funeral service at Brookhaven Funeral Home and he also served several terms as District Governor for Mississippi Funeral Directors Association. In 2003 his lifelong dream of becoming a funeral home owner came true when he became part-owner of Riverwood Family Funeral Service. He retired in 2014 but was still very active in serving families until his health issues started that prevented him from doing so. On December 20, 2025, he celebrated 60 years in the funeral service profession.

He is preceded in death by his parents; his loving in laws, Alton and Edith Allred; brothers, Bob Godbold and Marvin Godbold; brothers in law, Steve Allred, Keith Allred, Bill Coggins, and K.C. Avery; and dearest friend of 50 plus years, Steve Rousseau.

He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Sue Allred Godbold; son and loving daughter in law, Bradley and Jennifer Godbold; precious grandchildren, Molly Godbold and Luke Godbold; sister, Carol Avery; sisters in law, Jan Godbold, Dot Godbold, Clara Ann Coggins, Becky McDavid and husband, Mike, and Dale Allred; and a special cousin, Terry Lane Nations. He also leaves behind a number of nieces and nephews whom he dearly loved.