GRRRR -
I was just in the middle of writing a very lengthy reply - was just about finished - and must have accidently exited from the web-site. So, without trying to 'justify' WHEN, WHAT, WHY or HOW I came up with that ludicrous programming, (other than to say that in my eagerness to enjoy the results, I probably did it when I was SUPER tired and as soon as I converted my database .. from my memory of Q&A .. knowing that there was a better way that I could always change to later on), here is the bottom line.
All I wanted is that - when notified that a person was deceased - to have Sesame clear a whole bunch of fields. (Whether the fields previously contained data or not, therefore, is totally irrelevant).
I have left the "goto" portion of the programming in 'on element exit' and placed my revised programming in 'on element change' since most people only die once.

(By funny coincidence Bob, I had just completed the programming before I saw your reply and, yes, I do believe there IS a logical advantage). The new code is very simply:
if Status = "Deceased"
then
clear (Company Name, Street Address, Apt, City, State, Zip, EMail Address, Home, CommentsHome, Cell, CommentsCell, Work, CommentsWork, Fax, CommentsFax, Other1, CommentsOther1, Other2, CommentsOther2, Mail Name)
I trust that, now, what I wanted to accomplish is much clearer (both to Sesame AND Erika). lol
I thought the previous programming was safe because the IF portion started with the fact that the status had to be deceased AND one of the OR conditions had to exist. I can see now that because so MANY OR conditions followed the AND, perhaps Sesame couldn't properly interpret it.
Time will tell whether this will rectify my DISAPPEARING DATA issue.
Thanks folks!