John Theodore Goetz, 96, passed away in Edmonds, Washington, December 7, 2015. He was born on November 9, 1919 in Krem, North Dakota the son of John Peter and Henrietta (Schwalbe) Goetz. John's father soon died and his mother remarried Martin Oster of Hazen, North Dakota and was the father whom he knew and loved.
He is survived by his wife of 71 years Agnes (Weigum) Goetz; two sons John Peter Goetz and wife Linda (Powell) of Martinez, CA and Paul David Goetz and wife Jennifer (Flothe) of Seattle, WA; grandchildren, Mary Agnes (Goetz) Baum and husband John of Tucson, AZ, John Theodore Goetz and wife Katherine (Pima) of Bellevue, WA, and great grandchildren John Henry Baum, Ashley Marie Baum and Amelia Stana Goetz. John was preceded in death by his brothers Arthur and Emil, and sisters, Ida and Hulda.
John graduated from Hazen High School where he played on the basketball team. At the coaxing of his mother he finally asked Agnes out on a date. After graduation, he joined the U.S. Army serving states side. The two were married on September 14, 1944. When the war was over, he joined the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and worked on several hydroelectric dam construction projects, the most significant being the Garrison Dam on the Missouri River at Riverdale, North Dakota.
John's career eventually took the family to Walla Walla, Washington in 1959 where he worked in the Contract Administration Branch of the Construction Division of the Walla Walla District. He retired in 1974 and spent the next several years consulting on projects that took him to Saipan and Honolulu.
He was an active member of Christ Lutheran Church in Walla Walla, serving on the Church Council as Deacon and President. He coached both his sons in Little League baseball. John could fix and build anything. There wasn't any problem or challenge too difficult for him.
In 2006, John and Agnes moved to Seattle to be closer to family.
He was always ready to engage in discussions on faith, politics, sports, and science. He put his heart and energy into his marriage. He was a great role model, Christian, faithful husband, devoted son, and loving father. Those who knew him will always remember his sayings: "What's for supper?", "Save your money!", and "If you don't like bacon, you're wrong!"
He was a good man, and we sorely miss him.
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