Esther Louise Golden

Remembering Esther Louise Golden (In her own words) I was born on January 8, 1926 in a small town in Louisiana delivered by a midwife who was my grandmother. I am the fifth of seven children to my parents, Nathaniel and Wahrena Gordon. As I grew older, I would travel on many occasions with my grandmother to deliver other babies. Children became very special to me. I loved our farm and had a wonderful childhood. I loved riding horses, swimming, chasing butterflies, and playing with lightning bugs. Since my mother was a school teacher, she would take me to school with her even though I wasn’t old enough to go to school. I attended classes with children older than me. By the time I was actually old enough to start school, I already knew how to read and write. I was advanced to the second grade and graduated High School at the age of 15 and was Valedictorian of my class. My sights were now set on going to college. I began college at Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA. I worked as a substitute teacher to help pay for my education. During the summer, I came to California to visit my mother and went with a friend to take the Post Office Test. I passed the test and was offered a job paying $2500 a year which was far more than I was making teaching in Louisiana. I decided to take the job at the Post Office but did not let go of my dream of completing college. Later, I enrolled and graduated at the University of San Francisco. I spent 42 years in the Post Office. I offered many suggestions and several have been implemented and are still being utilized today. It was my suggestion to have all first class mail sent as airmail after receiving a large number of complaints about late mail. Before World War II, there were no women supervisors in the Post Office in San Francisco. After the war, women were allowed to take the test for Supervisor. I passed the first test with a score of 98% and still they would not make me a Supervisor. After several tests and no women supervisors, I wrote to President Kennedy about the situation. He sent Postal Inspectors to investigate and later the President ordered that all women who passed the test become a supervisor in San Francisco. I became the second woman to become a Supervisor in San Francisco. I spent my last years in the Post Office training clerks to become Supervisors. Women today are still benefiting from the door that I opened over forty years ago. I was married to Major Golden for over fifty years. Together we have raised three children and over twenty five foster children. Those foster kids are now grown and continue to keep in touch with me and now their children visit often and refer to me as “Grandmother”. I love my Church, St Paul AME, and have always been an active member. Currently, I am a Steward, Class Leader and Missionary. Over the years, I have worked with the Sunday School, the Young People Department and various other organizations. In 1973, I developed and implemented Project Touchdown, a tutoring and mentoring program and later a Saturday School. These programs ran for over ten years and were instrumental in improving students academically and helped to develop self esteem. The community has always been important to me. We cannot just sit on the sideline and complain. We must get involved to make change. I have served as a Board Member, Supervisor and a member of the Co-Op Credit Union. I was an active participant in the PTA and a member of Iota Phi Lambda Sorority. As an activist in the City of Berkeley, I was honored for being an outstanding citizen and given a day in Berkeley. I was the only African American Board Member of Children’s Hospital in Oakland for which I was honored for many years of service. I am so thankful and blessed with the many opportunities that were afforded me. It has been a pleasure and honor to serve. I am grateful to my parents for instilling in me the desire to help others and I hope this legacy will continue with the people in my life and generations to come. Esther Louise Golden will forever be in the hearts of those she leaves to mourn her passing.

Esther Louise Golden

January 8, 1926 - March 7, 2012

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Esther Louise Golden

January 8, 1926 - March 7, 2012

365 Days of Grief Support

What We Do

Flowers & Gifts

Plan Ahead

Urn Store

Obituaries

Price Lists

Contact Information