Margaret M. Goetz 1919-2005

FOREY, MAHAN, GOETZ

Posted By: michael (email)
Date: 10/30/2005 at 11:16:42

Margaret M. Goetz, 86 of Iowa City, died Friday, October 28, 2005, at Windmill Manor Care Center in Coralville due to complications of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases.

Funeral services will be held 10am Wednesday, November 2, at St. Mary’s Church with Reverend Ken Kuntz officiating. Friends and family may call on Tuesday, November 1st, from 4:00 to 7:00pm at Lensing Funeral Service-605 Kirkwood Ave. Iowa City, where a parish vigil service will be held at 7pm. Burial will be at St. Joseph’s Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to Project GREEN of Iowa City.

Margaret Mary Mahan was born June 20, 1919, in Emmetsburg, Iowa to Miles and Bessie (Forey) Mahan. She attended rural schools nears Ayrshire, Iowa, graduating from Mallard High School. She later attended the State College of Iowa (UNI) at Cedar Falls and Buena Vista College at Storm Lake, Iowa. During the next few years Margaret worked at the University of Iowa Memorial Union Dining Services, managed a soda fountain, and taught in several rural schools.

On February 17, 1947, she married Louis Otto Goetz at St. Mary’s Church, Iowa City. Following their marriage, they operated a dairy farm near Iowa City until moving to Coralville in 1953. Margaret was a homemaker for many years caring for her four children. From 1963-1964, she attended and graduated form the Iowa City Commercial College; after graduation, she worked at the University of Iowa Library in secretarial services as well as the Veterans Hospital in the admitting office. During their marriage Margaret and Louis were foster parents to three young men. For many years she owned and operated Marge’s Antique Shoppe from their home on Kirkwood Ave. She was also actively interested in family genealogy, flower and vegetable gardening, cooking and sewing for her children and grandchildren. Her interest in family history took them on trips to Ireland and Germany in the mid 1970’s. Over a span of several years, Margaret wrote and published six family histories. She was also a member of the St. Mary’s Altar and Rosary Society and Catholic Daughters of America. In June, 2002, Margaret was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s type dementia; she has been in care centers since that time.

She is survived by her husband Louis of Legacy Point Care Center, her children: Marilyn (Gerald) Gaffey and Martha (Rex) Dawson, all of Iowa City, Alice (Phil) Pili of Pago Pago, America Samoa and Utah, and son Phillip Goetz. She is also survived by her seven grandchildren: Sean Gaffey, Phillip James “PJ”, Amanda, Cameron and Andrew “Skyler” Goetz, Elizabeth (Santiago) Michalek and Courtney Dawson and one great grandchild, Sarah Goetz. Her sister, Monica Schany, lives in De Pere, WI.

She is preceded in death by her parents and several brothers who died at birth.

Margaret was very proud to say she was 100% Irish!

On-line condolences may be directed to www.lensingfuneral.com