William Goetz

William (Bill) Andrew Goetz, 78, of Oakley, KS died Saturday, September 11, 2021, at Logan County Hospital. He was born August 29, 1943, in Park, KS to Edmund and Helen (Nellie Brungardt) Goetz. He graduated from Grainfield High School in 1961. On September 4, 1970, he married Laura Maurath. Bill was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Oakley.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, George (Bud) Goetz, Virgil (Jim) Goetz, Charlie Goetz; and sisters, Maxine Leiker, Delores Deines, Elsie Bittel, Marlene Fahey.

He is survived by his wife, Laura, of Oakley; children, Lisa (James) Cox, of Newton, Amy Thrasher, of Oakley, Neil Goetz, of Palm Springs, CA, Cara Goetz, of Oakley, and Jason (JP) Goetz, of Denver, CO; grandchildren, Camilla (Justin) Panariello, of Venice, FL, Neil Goetz, Jr., of Riverside, CA, Amber Cox, of Newton, Corey Thrasher, of Goodland, and Andrea Cox, of Newton; great-grandson, Hank Panariello, of Venice, FL; brother, Gary Goetz, of WaKeeney; sister, Pat Radcliffe, of Kenton, OH; and many sister & brother-in-laws, nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews and friends.

Bill loved getting away to go fishing anytime he would get the chance, he also enjoyed spending time with his grandkids and taking them out for ice cream whenever they were around. He was a family man first and foremost, a loving husband and a great father. He was a very social person, and you could often find him chatting with his friends over a donut at one of his many ‘coffee break’ places around Oakley. He always took the time out of his busy day to stop and share a conversation with whomever crossed his path. As a proud member of the local high school booster club, you could spot him at a Oakley Plainsmen sporting event cheering on the home team or travelling to support them on the road (even after his own kids had graduated). If he wasn’t at a game, scratching a lottery ticket, or at work; you were likely to catch him working in his yard or on his Ford Galaxie (both of which he took tremendous pride in).

He worked for NW Furniture and Floor Covering for many years and when it closed started his own business; Superior Floor Covering. He worked hard and truly believed in the motto “if something is worth doing, it is worth doing right”. His work ethic and skillset were second to none. He was a master carpenter, and his craftsmanship can be seen in the numerous homes that he helped make beautiful all throughout his community and the surrounding areas. He flipped many houses in the Oakley area in his later years, turning sometimes very undesirable houses into amazingly beautiful homes.

Bill was a man of faith and believed in service to his fellow man. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus (serving as Grand Knight and later District Deputy - he also won a prestigious KofC Family of the Year Award). He was a man of integrity and compassion. He would always be the first to help out anyone who was in need. As a younger man, he and his wife (Laura) enjoyed playing cards with their friends, being social and were members of many bowling leagues. Later in life he simply enjoyed driving around town with his daughter Cara, just because…

He impacted the lives of anyone he met and everyone that knew him, has a “Bill Story” to share. His friendly smile and his whistling of a cheerful tune while he worked, will be missed by many, but his legacy will never be forgotten.

Visitation will be from 5pm to 7pm, Sunday, Sept. 19 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Oakley, with a rosary to follow at 7:00 pm. Funeral Mass will be at 10:00 am, Monday, Sept. 20, 2021, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Oakley, with burial in St. Joseph Cemetery. Memorials can be made to St. Joseph Church and sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For information or online condolences: www.baalmannmortuary.com