Evelyn Goetz, 82, Richardton, died Monday, March 29, 2010 at her home. Evelyn’s funeral service will be at 10 a.m., Thursday, April 1, 2010 at St. John Lutheran Church, Richardton, with Rev. Steven Schou officiating. Interment will take place at St. John’s Cemetery, Richardton. Visitation will be from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesday at Ladbury Funeral Service, Dickinson with a prayer service at 7 p.m. Visitation will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Thursday.
Evelyn Harriet Stieg was born south of Richardton in Stark County, on March 10, 1928, to Paul G. and Dorothy (Wagner) Stieg. She was their fourth child and had 6 sisters and 3 brothers. After attending country school for her elementary education, she boarded and attended high school in Taylor for a couple years, and then graduated from Hebron High School in 1946. She received her teaching certificate at the college in Dickinson and taught school in the country south of Taylor. Evelyn was baptized and confirmed, and became a lifetime member of St. John’s Lutheran Church and was very active in bible studies and with the women of the church in Ladies Aid. She also enjoyed attending a local Homemakers Club with her neighbors for many, many years.
While Evelyn was in high school, a young neighbor boy from south of the Heart River applied and began working for her father as a hired man, went off to the Army and then came home and asked for Evelyn’s hand in marriage. On October 15, 1947, she married the love of her life, Alfred N. Goetz, in Richardton. Alfred and Evelyn milked, raised chickens, pigs, cattle, and farmed on 3 different farmsteads south of Richardton, and were happy to be so close to both of their families where all of their children could grow up and enjoy life on the farm.
While they lived on the farm, her main focus was on Al and the kids. After they moved into town in 1978, Evelyn worked at the Assumption Abbey. Alfred passed away on April 7, 1998, but he and Evelyn celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Evelyn continued living at their home in Richardton. Her hobbies included gardening, square dancing, bowling, reading, quilting, writing letters, working jigsaw, crossword and word search puzzles, and playing cards, Scrabble and Upwords with whomever would play with her, and attending Senior Citizens. She always enjoyed attending birthdays and any events of her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and friends.
Blessed to have shared in her life are her surviving children: Gary (Gladys) Goetz, Paulette Clooten, Candice (Bob) Stastny, Pam Pullen, Randy (Sandi) Goetz, Mark (Lois) Goetz, and Janal (Harvey) Hoff; 20 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother, Donald (Betty) Stieg, and sisters, Doris Kenow, Edith Gress, Ruth (Howard) Dukart, and Carla Michelsen, and three sister-in-laws, Irene Stieg, Connie Larson, and Elsie Rech, and many nieces and nephews.
Evelyn was preceded in death by her husband, Alfred, still born daughter Sherry; granddaughter, Hope Harriet Clooten; her parents; two sons-in-law, Dwayne Clooten and Wally Suko; her brothers, Ray and Richard Stieg; her sisters and brothers-in-law, Esther (Jim) Robinson, and Polly (Don) Perron; her father and mother-in-law; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Anna (Emil) Portscheller, and Mary (Jack) Rech, and eight brothers-in-law, Nick, John, Frank, Ed and Carl (Eva) Goetz, Ken Kenow, Collin Michelsen and Vic Gress. In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred to St. John’s Lutheran Church or to the donors choice.
