Mother Goose lives on
Theodosia resident Gloria Noah, pictured with a classroom of children above left, has dressed as Mother Goose and visited area schools for nearly 30 years. Now, at age 91 and with failing eyesight, Noah says it’s time to pass the bonnet on to another community member to continue the tradition. Noah chose fellow church member Chrystal Marshall, above right, who says she’s excited to step into the role.
Theodosia resident Gloria Noah as Mother Goose.
Noah chose fellow church member Chrystal Marshall, above right, who says she’s excited to step into the role.
For nearly three decades, Theodosia resident Gloria Noah has enjoyed stepping into her stark white cotton dress, blue plaid apron and signature bonnet to become the famed Mother Goose. Dressed as the imaginary author of a variety of French fairy tales and English nursery rhymes, Noah visited Ozark County schools, reading and visiting with children about their schoolwork and other aspects of their life.
Story books and conversations with Mother Goose brought an element of magic and anticipation for the kids, whose eyes twinkled with excitement as they listened intently to what Mother Goose had to say.
“Oh, hun, it’s been one of the highlights of my life,” Noah recently told the Times. “I’ve loved every single visit I’ve had as Mother Goose.”
Noah said that she scheduled time at Ozark County schools annually until 2020 when the covid-19 pandemic hit and schools were forced to close their doors. Instead of meeting together in classrooms, children instead transitioned to alternative methods of learning from home including online programs and at-home worksheets and packets.
For the next couple years, visitors were not allowed inside the schools in order to reduce the chance of spreading the infection. That meant that Ozark County’s own beloved Mother Goose wasn’t able to visit.
“It just broke my heart,” Noah said.
Meanwhile, Noah’s eyesight began to fail. Now, at 91 years old, she is legally blind and unable to drive.
“I realized I wouldn’t be able to be Mother Goose anymore. It was such a sad realization, but I knew I wanted the tradition to continue. So, I started thinking about who could step into those shoes,” she said.
Gloria said that Chrystal Marshall, a fellow member of the Theodosia Methodist Church, caught her eye, and she wondered if she might be up for taking on the role of the legendary character.
“She started asking around about me. She was kind of interviewing me without me knowing it,” Marshall told the Times with a chuckle. “She was just trying to find out more about me, and what I was like. Then one Sunday she approached me and asked if I would have any interest in becoming Mother Goose. She explained it all to me, and I said, ‘Absolutely!’”
Gloria handed over her beloved Mother Goose outfit, along with her basket and other various props. The outfit was tailored to fit Marshall, and she’s currently working to plan her first visits to the schools.
“I’m honored to be given the chance to continue this, and the way Gloria talks about it, I think it’s going to be a really rewarding and fun experience,” Marshall said.
Noah says that while she is sad to give it up, she is so happy that the tradition can continue, and Mother Goose is alive and well in Ozark County, blessing another group of youngsters with a visit.