Col. George W. Goetz of Grand Junction, Colo., died Oct. 5, 2024, at home in his favorite recliner after a short battle with cancer. He was 90.
George, also known as “Win” by family and friends back home, was born Aug. 15, 1934, in Utica, N.Y. He was the eldest of four children born to Joseph Cletus Goetz and Mary Doris Winslow Goetz.
He grew up in Rome, N.Y., and graduated from Rome Free Academy in 1952. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and was a member of the Army ROTC program at St. Bonaventure University. In 1956, George was commissioned into the U.S. Army, marking the beginning of a distinguished 30-year military career.
In 1956, he married Mary Ann Abrams of Northville, N.Y., and together, they had four children: Patricia, Susan, Gordon and Jim. They later divorced.
George was stationed at many installations in the U.S. and overseas. He served two tours in Vietnam during the war, a tough period in his life which brightened when he met Mila C. Reyes, an accountant from the Philippines working as a contractor for the US government in Saigon in 1967. They relocated to Virginia and were married Nov. 22, 1968. Together, they had two daughters: Tracy and Sonya.
George embodied the values of fairness, integrity and loyalty, leaving an indelible mark on all who served with him. He was awarded multiple military decorations, including the Bronze Star, Vietnam Service Medal, and Legion of Merit. In 1986, George retired from the Army as a Colonel (06).
After eight years of living in Munich, Germany, George and Mila moved to Grand Junction in 1992 to be close to their children and grandchildren. In the 32 years that followed, George became involved in his community, joining local organizations including the Knights of Columbus, The Retired Officers Association, the JUCO committee, and the Fruitvale and Redlands Lions clubs.
George and Mila shared a love of travel, visiting 47 countries and all 50 states. They sailed on more than 40 cruises together. His hobbies over the years included playing poker, golfing and volksmarching, a pastime he took up in Germany where he spent most every weekend hiking the pastoral countryside racking up thousands of kilometers. He was a devoted fan of Notre Dame football, the Dallas Cowboys and his cherished, New York Yankees. In his most recent years, he was a founding member of the “Grumpy Ol’ Men’s Club,” mentoring his younger senior friends each Wednesday at coffee on how to be crotchety.
Survivors include his children: Patricia Goetz, Susan (Bernie Hunt) Goetz, Jim (Annelle) Goetz, Tracy (Jeremy Marshall) Dvorak, and Sonya (Richard) Hamlin; his grandchildren: Katherine (Ed) Streker, Michael Goetz, Nicole (Alec) Squires, Elizabeth (Kyle) McGarry, Emily Maryanski, Allison (Tim) Willis, Miranda (Sean Walsh) Dvorak, Matthew (Caitlin Shows) Dvorak, Ainsley Spears and Aidan Spears; his great-grandchildren: Landon, Lily, Elliott, Reese, Reagan, Ryker, McKenna, Winston, Emma, Bryce, Ryan and Zachary; his siblings: Mary Elizabeth Marlar and Charles (Kathleen) Goetz; his sisters-in-law: Joan Goetz and Purita Panlilio; and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by wife Mila; son Gordon Goetz; brother Jerrold Goetz; brothers-in-law Harvey Marlar and Ben Panlilio; and former wife Mary Ann King.
George’s faith was a guiding light throughout his life. He was a devoted member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, where he will be inurned beside his beloved Mila in the church's columbarium. A Mass to celebrate his life, followed by a lunch reception, will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, at IHM, 790 26 ½ Road in GJ.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to HopeWest at hopewestco.org/donate or to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at cff.org/donate.
Arrangements have been made by Snyder Grand Valley Funeral Home.
Saturday, October 26, 2024
11:00am - 12:00 pm (Mountain time)
Immaculate Heart of Mary
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