Goldyn Faye Summitt
Goldyn Faye Eaves was born December 13, 1946, in Memphis, Tennessee and was the oldest of five children. She attended Overton High School, where she excelled – earning straight A’s every year. She even saved her report cards and later shared them proudly with her daughters, graduating with honors and a hard-earned 4.2 GPA.
She married at a young age of 16 and started working – managing apartment complexes and even painting them on the side with her best friend to make extra cash. In her 20’s, after obtaining her real estate license, she hightailed to Texas with that same best friend, Jan, chasing more opportunity. That move led to a lifelong career as a paralegal, working in all the top buildings in downtown Dallas, specializing in commercial litigation.
Goldyn is survived by two daughters: Tiffany Summitt and Chanel Smith. Seven grandchildren: Kessa, Kailyn, Leahna, Conner, Everley and her two oldest by marriage through her son-in-law Ronnie Smith – Ryan and Paxton. She is also survived by her sister Julie Tittle and brother Jimmy Eaves. She was preceded in death by her parents, Shirley Lee Pike and James William Eaves III, and her sisters, Deborah Wilson and Shirley Cleveland.
Goldyn loved creating artificial floral arrangements, interior design, and chatting with her lifelong friends – many of whom she’d known for 30, 50, even 60 years. She had a gift for making things beautiful and thoughtful. Her floral creations were her special way of blessing those she loved. She was always crafting something: birthday gifts, Christmas presents, or “just because.” Giving was truly her love language.
Music was a big part of her life. She usually had KLTY 94.9 Christian radio on in the car, but also loved Amy Grant, Elvis Presley, Billy Ocean, Heart, INXS, Robert Palmer, Kenny Loggins, Glenn Frey, Huey Lewis & the News, Hall & Oates, The GoG0’s, Cher, Genesis, Michael Bolton, George Michael, Bad English, Annie Lennox, Michael and Janet Jackson, Tina Turner, Sade, Sinead O’Connor, Sting, The B-52’s and Duran Duran. She loved to dance and had no shame in busting out her signature moves, no matter who was watching.
Goldyn didn’t just dance – she worshipped. At church, she was known as the “tambourine lady”, parading joyfully at the first aisle of seats with her red and gold ribbon-covered tambourine, singing and dancing or the Lord. It was her way of praising, one of her many quirky, endearing traits we loved.
She loved her TV shows too – especially Criminal Minds and NCIS, but also Hallmark, Christian programs, her favorite pastors, and shows like Supernatural, Roswell, Star Trek, Highlander, HSN and QVC
Goldyn always made people feel seen and loved – taking friends dancing in her younger years, and out to dinner in her later ones. She loved to talk, give advice, and simply be there in any way she could. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her. We’ll miss the long phone calls and her fierce, loving heart. The world feels a little dimmer now, but heaven is brighter and her light lives on in her children, grandchildren and the many lives she touched.
