BY KATHI STEARNS

Staff Writer

ATLANTA--A funeral Mass was celebrated Oct. 21 at Holy Spirit Church for Roberto C. Goizueta, a parishioner who was a benefactor of the archdiocese and the chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the Coca-Cola Company.

Goizueta, 65, died at Emory University Hospital Oct. 18 from complications of lung cancer, less than six weeks after the diagnosis of his illness. Flags at Coca-Cola facilities around the world were flown at half-staff and all offices of the Coca-Cola Company were closed Oct. 21.

Holy Spirit Church was filled to its capacity an hour before the Mass began. Employees from the World Of Coca-Cola museum guided traffic and served as ushers.

Archbishop John F. Donoghue presided at the Mass of the Resurrection. Msgr. Edward Dillon, pastor, was the principal celebrant and homilist. Other celebrants included Msgr. Peter Dora, vicar general, Father Mark Lacey, chancellor, Father Adam Ozimek, parochial vicar at St. Lawrence, Lawrenceville, Father Darragh Griffith, parochial vicar at Holy Spirit, Father James Schillinger, campus minister at Emory University Catholic Center, and Father James Harnett, SM, president of the Marist School.

Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn joined Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell, former mayor Andrew J. Young and Rep. John Lewis of the 5th Congressional District at the liturgy.

Music was provided by members of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chamber Chorus and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Robert Shaw was the music director and conductor.

During the homily Msgr. Dillon said that the last few weeks had been very difficult ones for Goizueta's family, his wife, Olguita, and his children, Roberto, Javier and Olga Marie.

"The past two weeks were a time of great sadness and strain for the family, especially for Olguita--but it was also a time of great grace. If anyone could legitimately say, 'I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race,' it was Roberto. Bill Newton, whom he regarded as a member of the family, gave him a report on the board meeting last Thursday and Olga Marie read him the press release about the meeting. All was in order with the company."

Msgr. Dillon said that Goizueta believed that eternal life follows as a continuation of his earthly existence.

"In varying ways he said good-bye to Olguita, to Olga Marie, Robbie and Jay, to Bill, to Joel, to the members of his family, and his Coca-Cola family, who surrounded him with their love and prayers in his final days," Msgr. Dillon said. "He prepared himself spiritually for the journey he was about to undertake. With his usual attention to detail, he wanted Olguita by his side so they could receive Communion together."

Msgr. Dillon then spoke of the good that Goizueta had done for countless people and causes. The Carlos Goizueta Educational Center on the lower level of Holy Spirit Church was made possible through a gift of the Goizueta family. The center, which contains classrooms and other facilities is named in memory of the Goizuetas' son who died of leukemia in 1970. Both Holy Spirit Church and the center were dedicated in July 1995 by Archbishop Donoghue.

Goizueta and his wife attended the dedication Mass which concluded with a reception featuring special edition Coke bottles which commemorated the dedication of the new church. A stained-glass window located above the choir loft entitled "Our Lady, Queen of Heaven" was also a gift of the family.

"At Holy Spirit and in the archdiocese we are deeply indebted for his support, his interest and encouragement," Msgr. Dillon said.

"We must pause in wonder at the divine providence which determined that Roberto would die just when he was powerfully able to do a special kind of philanthropy. There is something to learn from the fact that he died on the very weekend when St. Therese of Lisieux was named a doctor of the church, the saint who, in her own dying days, said she would spend her heaven doing good on earth. Roberto's days for that are just beginning. His work will be perpetuated through his foundation. His work will endure because of his interest in and his genuine concern for our society and he can now spend his heaven doing good on earth."

Msgr. Dillon said that everyone in the church had experienced a great loss. "It is different for each person but nonetheless real," he said. "Everyone's loss pales in comparison to the loss experienced by Olguita, Olga Marie, Robbie and Jay and the grandchildren. In this loss we have a common bond. This rite of Christian burial reminds us of that bond and instructs us to console one another. So while we grieve in the days and weeks and months ahead, we will also be people who are prepared to help and support one another in our grief. We will be people of faith, people who have the sure and certain knowledge that by His resurrection Jesus conquered death and opened the door through which Roberto has gone, and through which we all eventually hope to go to our Father."

The Mass continued with the celebration of the Eucharist. Goizueta's grandchildren Amelia Olga Rawls and Cristina Marie Goizueta, who attended Christ the King School, Atlanta, from 1991-92, brought the gifts to the altar.

After Communion Andrew Young and Dr. Roberto S. Goizueta, one of his sons, spoke of the love that Goizueta had for his work and his family.

Pall bearers included Eduardo M. Carreras, Javier C. Goizueta, Dr. Roberto S. Goizueta, William R. Newton, Stephen W. Norman, Thompson T. Rawls, Joel Rousseau, Clyde Tuggle.

The Mass was followed by a private entombment service at Arlington Memorial Park in Atlanta. Condolence books were available to mourners at H.M. Patterson and Son/Spring Hill Chapel as well as at Holy Spirit Church.

Goizueta contributed his time to various Atlanta community initiatives including as a member of the boards of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the Woodruff Arts Center and Emory University.

Goizueta was born Nov. 18, 1931 in Havana, Cuba, the son of a sugar refinery owner. He graduated from Yale with a B.S. in chemical engineering in 1953. The following year he responded to an anonymous advertisement in a Havana newspaper seeking a chemical engineer which had been placed by the Coca-Cola Company. He was hired by Coca-Cola in 1954 as a member of their Havana technical division. Following Castro's rise in Cuba, Goizueta defected to the U.S. in 1961 with his family, a suitcase, $40 and 100 shares of Coca-Cola stock.

He moved from Miami to Atlanta in 1964 and worked in the technical research and development department. Two years later he was elected a vice president of the company, becoming the youngest person ever elected to that office. In May 1980 he was elected president and chief operating officer of the company and a member of the board of directors. On March 1, 1981 he was elected chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the company.

Goizueta oversaw the Coca-Cola Company for 16 years during which the company introduced "new" Coke and Diet Coke. During his tenure, the company's market value increased from $4 billion in 1981 to nearly $150 billion today.

"Every one of the nearly one million members of the extended Coca-Cola family around the world feels the greatest sense of loss today," said M. Douglas Ivester, president and chief operating officer of the Coca-Cola Company, in an Oct. 18 statement. "All of us have lost a great leader, and I have lost a great mentor and my friend. Our hearts go out to Olguita, Roberto's wife, his children and his grandchildren."

Goizueta is survived by his wife, Olguita Casteleiro Goizueta and his children Roberto, Olga Marie and Javier and eight grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be sent to the Roberto C. Goizueta Cancer Research Fund at the Woodruff Health Sciences Center, Emory University, 1440 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, Ga. 30322.