Joyce Kay Goeke, 65, of Litchfield died at 9:05 a.m. Tuesday morning, April 21, at St. Francis Hospital in Litchfield with her husband, Joe, at her side.
Per her wishes, there will be no visitation or formal funeral service. A celebration of life service will be held at the First Presbyterian Church in Litchfield on Saturday, May 2, at 1 p.m.
Following the service, there will be dessert and drinks in the fellowship hall. In honor of her favorite color, red, attendees are encouraged to dress colorfully and include something with red.
Interment of cremains will be private and arranged through Plummer Funeral Home of Litchfield.
Mrs. Goeke was born on Dec. 7, 1949, in Decatur, the daughter and fourth child of the late Harold George and Sarah Livicy (Wagner) Chalcraft. She married Second Lieutenant Joseph Conrad Goeke, United State Army, field artillery branch, on March 11, 1972, and he survives in Litchfield after 43 years of marriage.
Raised in Maroa, north of Decatur, she graduated from Maroa-Forsyth High School in 1968. In 1972 she completed her BS degree for teaching of geography from the University of Illinois. In 1974 she completed her MS in library and information science, also from the University of Illinois.
Mrs. Goeke spent 19 years as a dedicated Army wife living at Army Posts in Oklahoma, Texas, Germany and Missouri. In 1982, her daughter, Susan Elizabeth Goeke, was born in Fort Leonard Wood, MO. While living in Lawton, OK, near Fort Sill, she worked in both public and school libraries spreading her love of reading, especially for children.
Following her husband's retirement from the Army in 1991, she and her family returned to Litchfield where, in the fall of 1991, she began her 19 year service as the Hillsboro Junior High School media specialist/librarian. Upon her retirement in June of 2010, she was able to spend time with church activities of the First Presbyterian Church of Litchfield, where she was a ruling elder, adult Sunday School leader and choir member.
Mrs. Goeke was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary. She enjoyed spending time with her grandson, Carson, who was the great joy of her life.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by her daughter Susan (husband James "Jay") Lee of Bothell, WA; grandson, Carson Lee of Bothell, WA; brother, Kenneth Chalcraft; sisters, Judy (husband Tom) Karr of Fairview, TX, and Jane (husband Dennis) Heydanek of Ft. Mill, SC; and many cousins and relatives from the Albion-Fairfield-Mt Carmel area.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Reach Out and Read Book Fund at Litchfield Family Practice, 1285 Franciscan Dr., Litchfield, IL, 62056. This fund will establish a new program in Mrs. Goeke's honor to promote early childhood literacy and school readiness. Memorials may also be made to The First Presbyterian Church, 1908 North State St., Litchfield, IL, 62056.
