Fred A. Goebel

Frederick Arnold Goebel, 77, of Phoenix passed away August 10, 2012. Fred was born June 15, 1935 in the small town of Bunker Hill in Southern Illinois. Fred was the second of five children born to Ella and Arnold Goebel. Fred's siblings in order of birth are Alice Walker, Margaret Tomazin, Eva Smith, and Arnold Goebel. Born on a farm with an outhouse in a cold climate, a glass of water along the bedside would freeze by morning. Fred's family was the first to have a television in the community. Later Fred's father bought a Gamble store in town and Fred worked in the hardware business until he attended college at the University of Illinois. U of I is where he met his wife Fritzi Stiernberg who has been by his side for the last 52 years. Fred and Fritzi started their lived together in St. Louis. Fred later graduated from Washington University in St. Louis and went to work for Shell Oil as a computer programmer. As newlyweds they had their first child here Phillip, born November 3rd, 1961. A few years later they were transferred to Menlo Park, California, near San Francisco. Here, Fred continued to work for Shell Oil as a programmer, and they had their second child, Matthew born February 2nd, 1967. Before Matthew turned five Fred and Fritzi moved again to Waterloo, Iowa, where Fred worked for Rath Meat products as a programmer. Due to the cold weather this turned out to be short term. They rolled the dice on a business adventure in Phoenix, Arizona, bought the Pied Piper Nursery schools, and had a daughter, Kathryn, born in Phoenix on April 25th. Fred eventually left self employment and worked the rest of his career with the State of Arizona, Department of Environmental Quality as a computer programmer. He completed his tenure with the state as the acting director of the Department of Environmental Quality. It was after his retirement that he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Fred is survived by his wife Fritzi, sons Phil, Matt, and daughter Kathy. His sisters Margaret Tomazin, and Eva Smith, grandchildren Jeffery Frederick Goebel, and Andrew Dutch Clark-Goebel. Some of Fred's hobbies were travel, S.C.U.B.A. (Sun Ray Scuba Divers) family, camping, mostly in Mexico for dive trips and other U.S. locations, The Tremble Cleffs, a Parkinson's musical group, the We Move Group (a Parkinson's exercise group). He took his sons to their first football games. Fred was a loving father and husband. Raised and educated three children. Continuously gave back to the community through Indian Guides, Boy Scouts, was once the president of the men's club at St. Thomas the Apostle, worked with St. Vincent DePaul helping the underprivileged, volunteered as a Navigator at Sky Harbor. He always enjoyed a good time with family and friends. Fred will be greatly, appreciatively and sorrowfully missed, but we understand that he is in a better place now. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, August 15, 2012 from 6:00-8:00 PM at A.L. Moore Grimshaw Mortuary, 710 W. Bethany Home Rd. in Phoenix. Funeral will be held on Thursday, August 16, 2012 at 10:30 AM at St. Thomas the Apostle Roman Catholic Church, 2312 E. Campbell Ave. in Phoenix. Interment will follow at Holy Redeemer Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations to The Muhammad Ali Parkinson's Center will be appreciated. Visit the Barrow Neurological Foundation at www.SupportBarrow.org, please select "Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center" from the dropdown menu next to the section titled "designation."