Although Florida Evans-Dixon (Esther Rolle) never had it easy, she still had an indomitable spirit that inspired and nourished her three children throughout her run on Maude and Good Times. Florida was always poor, but that didn't stop her from doing everything she could to keep her household together and feeling secure. Before the death of her first husband James (John Amos), Florida worked hard to keep her kids J.J. (Jimmie Walker), Thelma (Bern Nadette Stanis), and Michael (Leelton Baker) secure by taking odd jobs to make ends meet on top of being the ultimate host and keeping her house in tip-top shape.
When James died, Florida stepped up even more to make sure her children did not do without. Perhaps most impressively, she managed to have an innate sense of generosity for those around her, even when she was experiencing intense financial stresses. Put simply, she was an undeniably "dy-no-mite" role model for her kids.
