Wilfred Goth

Wilfred Edward Goth, age 92, of Marcus, IA passed away January 8, 2025 at Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD due to injuries sustained from a fall.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 A.M. Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025 at Holy Name Catholic Church in Marcus, IA with Rev. Timothy Pick officiating, Rev. Eugene Murray concelebrating and Deacon Jerry Bertrand assisting. Burial will follow at Holy Name Catholic Cemetery in Marcus. Graveside military honors will be conducted by F.I. Goodburn Post 517 American Legion of Marcus. Visitation with family present will be Friday at the church, there will be a rosary at 4 P.M. with visitation to follow until 7 P.M. There will also be a vigil prayer service at 7 P.M. Viewing will resume from 9:30-10:15 A.M. on Saturday at the church. Services have been entrusted to the Earnest-Johnson Funeral Home in Marcus, IA. www.mauerjohnsonfh.com.

Wilfred was born on the Goth farm December 12,1932 in Montrose, Missouri, the third of eleven children born to Rufus and Mary(Rotert) Goth. He attended school through the 8th grade, walking several miles to and from school uphill both ways, many times in a blizzard (as the story goes). After 8th grade, he and his older brother Adrian made their way north to Iowa to help with the harvesting of crops. He first went to work for Carl Kuehn and then for Merle Sand. In 1953 he joined the Army, spending two years in Colorado Springs, Co and Ft. Hood TX. He then returned to Marcus.

On February 15, 1958 he married the love of his life, Patricia Sand. They were blessed with six children, Debra, Sandra, Julia, Michael, Rhonda and Jeffrey. For most of their lives they enjoyed feeding cattle, raising crops and raising their family on a farm northwest of Marcus. Willie and Pat enjoyed dancing and spent many winters in Arizona with their friends and family. He took great pride in gardening. He raised some of the best tomatoes in Iowa and enjoyed growing enough sweet corn to keep half the town fed with as much sweet corn as they could eat. He was always looking to get into a card game if he could, pinochle with his buddies, Hand and Foot with his family being a couple of his favorites. He also loved to get in his pickup truck and give many tours to anyone visiting, sometimes stretching the 3 hour limit. He was also a great storyteller as many of his friends and family can attest to. Willie truly loved his family, his faith, farming, feeding cattle, his many friends and the entire Marcus community.

Wilfred was preceded in death by his beloved wife Patty in 2004; his parents, Rufus and Mary Goth; in-laws, Merle and Edith Sand; his brothers, Adrian (Helen,Lois), Ehrle, Ralph (Melba), and Herbie Goth; brothers-in-law, Jerome Young, Ed Strope, Herbie Fechtel and James Sand; sisters-in-law, Julie Sand, Kathy Ogren and Lee Goth.

He is survived by his six children, Debbie Richardson of Marcus, IA, Sandy (Scott) Henke of Bloomington, MN, Julia Goth-Avery of Dakota Dunes, SD, Mike Goth of Mesa, AZ, Rhonda (Tom) Kress of Grimes, IA and Jeff (Ann) Goth of Marcus, IA; Fourteen grandchildren Jesse Richardson (Steph), Dustin (Mandie) Richardson, Joel Richardson (Kristina), Trisha (Brendan) France, Ashley (Steve) Schmillen, Carissa Henke (Miles), Alyssa Henke, Kennedy Avery and Taylor Avery, Brett Jenness, Nicole (Austin) Bishop, Kaitlyn Goth (Colin), Kristina Goth and Derek Goth; Twelve great-grandchildren, Ari Lynch, Braelyn, Tatem, and Jaxten Richardson, Isabelle, Isaiah, and Ethan Richardson, Bjorn and Henrik France, and Hailey, Emily and Aiden Schmillen; His siblings, Rosemary Fechtel, Helena Strope, Evelyn Young (Chuck), (Sue Goth), Phil (Betty) Goth, Ludger Goth, Diann (Mike) Richter; brothers and sisters-in-law Chuck Sand, Margaret (Dick) Hays, John (Patty) Sand, (Rita Sand), Ken Ogren, Steve (Dian) Sand, Ed Sand, Barb (Doug) Dreckman, Bill (Stephanie) Sand, and many nieces and nephews.

Casket bearers will be his grandchildren.