Kenneth Goecke

The jovial spirit of 91 year old Kenneth Goecke of Marshalltown departed this life on Monday, April 18, at his home. His death came peacefully at 4:37 p.m. with his family at his side and under the loving care of Iowa River Hospice.Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, April 23, at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home with Rev. Brent de Silva of the State Center/Melbourne/Rhodes United Methodist Church and Ron Goecke officiating. He will be laid to rest with full military honors by the Harry C. Harter Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #839. Visitation will be held from 5-7:00 p.m. on Friday. For condolences, please visit www.mitchellfh.com. Memorials may be directed to Iowa River Hospice.The Mitchell Family Funeral Home is caring for Kenneth and his family, phone: (641)844-1234.Born on October 9, 1919, on the family farm near State Center, he was the son of Fred and Pearl (Billman) Goecke. He graduated from the Clemons High School and later attended ISU in Ames.On September 30, 1941, he enlisted in the United States Army and served our country honorably during WWII until being honorably discharged on January 10, 1946 as a Staff Sergeant. His patriotism for this country continued with him until the day he died.On February 16, 1947, he was united in marriage to Juanita Bauer. They farmed northeast of State Center for 27 years until moving to their home on Newcastle Road in 1974. Kenneth retired from the Gra-Iron Foundry in Marshalltown.Kenneth, or River known to his friends, loved to play golf, have a drink with family and friends, travel, watch golf and NASCAR, play the lottery and to the dismay of his family- bought stuff constantly from Publishers Clearinghouse- because he had to have gifts for people! He cherished his family and his granddog Tinkerbell. He had been a 60 plus year member of the American Legion Post #46, the LaMoille 4-H Livestock Club and Minerva Wesley Chapel (serving as Sunday School Supt.)Left to cherish his memory are his children: Barb (Bill) Crane of Marshalltown and Kenneth Dean Goecke of Mira Loma, CA; six grandchildren- Michelle (Pat) Ryan of Denver, CO, Mindy (Ian) Buschbom of Marshalltown, Mark (Megan) McDowell of Denver, CO, Matthew Goecke of Mira Loma, Claudia (George) Torres of Los Angeles and Gabrielle (Robert) Ramirez of Los Angeles as well as eleven great grandchildren (and one on the way), his sister Virginia (Ralph) White of Melbourne and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.In death, Ken rejoined his beloved Juanita who died in May of 1991, his parents, sister Emma Beach, brother Clarence Goecke and infant daughter Kenita Sue Goecke.