Obituary: Goettel, Donald James Sr.
Age 84
Funeral services will be held at Fairmount Sunset Chapel, 5200 W Wellesley Ave, Spokane, WA 99205 at 11 am on Saturday, November 16, 2013.
A time of visitation will be held at Heritage Funeral Home on Friday, November 15, 2013 from 10 am to 5 pm.
Memorials may be made to The Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children.
He was born August 26, 1929 to Grace (Heirgood) and Carl Goettel.
Don grew up on the family ranch homesteaded in the late 1880’s in Spokane Valley.
He went to Hutton Grade School then graduated Lewis & Clark High School in 1947.
He then went on to higher education-Bachelor of Science degrees in both Mechanical (WSU) and Electrical engineering (U of AZ), a Masters degree in Public Admin (from Shippensburg, PA) plus additional graduate level courses in business and engineering.
At Washington State University he joined ROTC.
Upon graduation in 1951 he entered the United States Army and achieved the rank of Full Bird Colonel before retiring in 1976.
He also graduated from the US Army War College in 1973.
His decorations include three Legion of Merit, four Bronze Stars and a Silver Star!
He was a member of the Manito Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rite Bodies, El Katif Shrine, Manito Presbyterian Church for many years and more recent years, St Stephens.
He was a Member of Manito Golf and Country Club.
He enjoyed golf (won MANY trophies), playing cards (often won), bowling and hunting many pheasant.
He was also an Eagle Scout and the State Champion football player at LCHS.
He did a lot of volunteer work…”to give back to the community” he said.
He and his wife enjoyed travels that brought them to every continent in the world!
Don is survived by his wife of 59 years-Dottie from New Jersey and four children-Debbie, Lynn, Richelle and Donald Jr. along with grand and great-grandchildren!
Wonderful memories will keep him close to all who knew and loved him…