A Private Man With a Lasting Family Legacy
Although Godfrey St. Elmore Headley was not well-known in the entertainment industry, his daughter, actress and model Shari Headley, tied his family tale to American popular culture. Godfrey was unknown, unlike his daughter. After leaving Trinidad as a youth, he worked discreetly, formed a family, and settled in New York.
Few details exist about him, yet they construct a portrait. He was born in Trinidad, moved to the US at 16, and became a dental technician. After moving to New York, he and Sarah Headley raised four children.
Godfrey died in 1982. By then, he had already shaped the family environment in which Shari grew up. His life was not recorded through interviews, public honors, or professional profiles. Instead, it survives in brief family recollections and in biographical descriptions of his daughter.
Trinidadian Beginnings
Godfrey was born in Trinidad, and his family’s known roots reach back to Port of Spain. His parents were identified as Joseph Headley, sometimes spelled Headly, and Elmina Fraser. Both were born in Port of Spain, the energetic capital of Trinidad.
Emily and Benjamin Fraser had Elmina. Few details regarding prior generations have been documented beyond those names. The family history shows Trinidadian identity’s complex mix of African, European, Indian, and other cultures across centuries.
Godfrey came to America at 16. Moving at that age required a willingness to try something new. Geography, climate, culture, and social norms separated Trinidad and New York. His decision opened a new chapter in his life and led him to his Brooklyn-born wife.
The year of his arrival is unknown. His childhood education, neighbourhood, and first years in America are likewise unknown. These gaps remind us that public biographies often provide merely a glimpse of ordinary life.
A Career as a Dental Technician
Dental technician Godfrey. His occupation is sometimes called odontotecnico in Spanish, but the meaning is the same. He would have prepared dental appliances and prosthetic devices to professional standards.
His employer, business, award, patent, and professional accomplishments are unknown. His absence does not diminish his effort. Dental technicians need precision, patience, and practicality. This profession sometimes helps families without much notice.
In Headley family stories, Godfrey provides for his wife and four children. His work established the family in Queens, where Shari was raised in St. Albans. His career may not have made headlines, but it shaped his children’s upbringing.
His Marriage to Sarah Headley
Godfrey’s wife was Sarah Headley, née Bell. She was from Brooklyn and worked as a school secretary or registrar. One description refers to her as a Brooklyn beauty, a phrase that captures the warmth and admiration surrounding her place in the family.
One of Godfrey’s most memorable stories is how he met Sarah. They met in Coney Island. Godfrey swam farther out to impress her. Sarah was initially resistant. She first left. Godfrey persisted and they married.
This story has a modest romantic legend feel. Coney Island, with its boardwalk, beaches, and summer throngs, is the setting for a daring gesture and persistent wooing. It also reveals Godfrey’s character. He may have been private later in life, but in this anecdote he appears determined, bold, and willing to risk for someone he admired.
Sarah outlived Godfrey by several decades. In interviews and family discussions connected to Shari, Sarah was described as living into her late 80s or 90s. In her later years, Shari helped care for her mother, showing that the family bond remained strong long after Godfrey’s death.
The Headley Children
Godfrey and Sarah had four children, including one son and three daughters. Shari Headley was the youngest. The names of her older brother and two older sisters have not been broadly detailed in public accounts, so the family’s visible story centers mainly on Shari.
Shari was born in Queens on July 15, 1964. She was up in St. Albans, a vibrant African-American neighbourhood with a rich history of musicians, entertainers, professionals, and working families. Her parents brought New York and Trinidadian culture to her childhood.
Godfrey reportedly encouraged Shari toward medicine. She initially pursued pre-medical studies before moving toward modeling and acting. That change in direction took her from the classroom into the entertainment industry, where she became known for roles in film and television. Her career later included memorable appearances in films such as Coming to America and television productions.
Godfrey died in 1982, before Shari’s most notable career achievements, but his influence followed her. A parent need not see every milestone to have prepared the way. Shari made her choices in the family structure with his support and expectations.
Shari Headley and Trinidadian Heritage
Shari’s Trinidadian heritage comes through her father’s side. Her paternal grandparents, Joseph Headley and Elmina Fraser, were both born in Port of Spain. Godfrey carried that connection into his own family after moving to the United States.
Shari is said to be Afro-Trinidadian through Godfrey and African-American through Sarah. Her identity was formed in Queens, not Trinidad, but heritage and upbringing don’t have to be located together. Caribbean migration and Black American urban life intersect in her family.
Public accounts of Headley family Trinidadian traditions are brief. Family visits to Trinidad, meals, religious rituals, Carnival celebrations, and Trinidadian linguistic patterns are not documented. Trinidad remained significant to the family.
Similarly, the paternal line shows Caribbean migration to the US. Godfrey left Trinidad as a youngster, worked in New York, married, and raised children who continued his lineage. His humble story shows how migration may bind one homeland to a new family destiny.
Godfrey’s Grandson Skyler Martin
Godfrey became a maternal grandfather through Shari’s son, Skyler Martin. Skyler was born in April 1994 to Shari and her former husband, actor and rapper Christopher Martin, widely known as Play from the hip hop duo Kid ’n Play.
Godfrey did not live to meet Skyler. His death in 1982 came more than a decade before Skyler’s birth. Even so, his presence remains part of Skyler’s family heritage through Shari and the Trinidadian ancestry she inherited from her father.
Thus, the family’s public history transcends generations. Elmina Fraser and Joseph Headley bring Port of Spain roots. Godfrey symbolises New York migration and family. Shari represents a Queens- and entertainment-influenced generation. Skyler continues the family line.
A Timeline of the Family Story
| Year or period | Event |
|---|---|
| Date unknown | Godfrey St. Elmore Headley is born in Trinidad |
| Age 16 | He emigrates to the United States |
| Adulthood | He meets Sarah Bell at Coney Island and later marries her |
| Before 1964 | The couple has one son and two daughters |
| July 15, 1964 | Shari Headley is born in Queens |
| 1960s to early 1980s | Godfrey works as a dental technician and raises his family in Queens |
| 1982 | Godfrey dies |
| April 1994 | His grandson Skyler Martin is born |
FAQ
Who was Godfrey Headley?
Godfrey Headley, whose full name was Godfrey St. Elmore Headley, was a Trinidadian immigrant and dental technician. He lived in the New York area and was the father of actress and model Shari Headley.
Where was Godfrey Headley born?
He was born in Trinidad. His parents, Joseph Headley or Headly and Elmina Fraser, were associated with Port of Spain.
When did Godfrey Headley move to the United States?
He emigrated from Trinidad at age 16. The exact year of his move has not been widely published.
What was Godfrey Headley’s occupation?
He worked as a dental technician. This is the main profession associated with him in biographical accounts of his family.
Who was Godfrey Headley’s wife?
His wife was Sarah Headley, née Bell. She was from Brooklyn and worked as a school secretary or registrar.
How did Godfrey and Sarah meet?
They met at Coney Island. Godfrey reportedly tried to impress Sarah by swimming far out into the ocean. Although she initially walked away, he continued courting her, and they eventually married.
How many children did Godfrey and Sarah have?
They had four children, including one son and three daughters. Shari Headley was the youngest child.
When did Godfrey Headley die?
Godfrey died in 1982. His exact date and age at death have not been widely reported.
What was Shari Headley’s connection to Trinidad?
Shari inherited Trinidadian and Afro-Trinidadian heritage through her father. Her paternal grandparents were born in Port of Spain, while she was born and raised in Queens, New York.
Who was Godfrey Headley’s grandson?
His grandson was Skyler Martin, the son of Shari Headley and Christopher “Play” Martin. Skyler was born in April 1994, after Godfrey’s death.
