Aileen Ann Goetz

Aileen Goetz, 79 of Aberdeen passed away Thursday, May 30, 2013 at Avera St. Luke's Hospital.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, June 4, 2013, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 409 2nd Avenue NE, Aberdeen. Father Jordan Samson will celebrate the Mass. Burial will be in the St. Mary's Cemetery.

Schriver's Memorial Mortuary and Crematory, 414 5th Avenue NW, Aberdeen is in charge of arrangements.

Visitation will be 5-7 p.m., Monday, at the mortuary, with a Liturgical Wake Service at 7:00 p.m. Visitation continues for one hour prior to Mass at the church on Tuesday.

Aileen was born to Francis and Evangeline (Phillips) Ahern on May 4, 1934 on the family farm near Brookings. She graduated from Egan High School in 1952 and attended Northern State Teacher's College. After marrying Elmer Goetz in July, 1955, they moved to North Carolina where Elmer served in the Marines and Aileen taught school. When they returned to Aberdeen in 1957, Elmer began his banking career and Aileen was busy with their children. In 1961 they moved to Redfield where Elmer continued banking and Aileen taught school. They came back to Aberdeen again in 1976 at which time Aileen attended Presentation College and embarked on her nursing career at St. Luke's. After retiring in 1996, Aileen focused her attentions on many hobbies including calligraphy, quilting, playing cards, book clubs, and volunteering for many church and social organizations.

Aileen was a soft spoken spiritual person who considered her family one of her greatest treasures. Her other loves included quilting, calligraphy, cross stitch and reading. She spent countless hours creating memory quilts, keepsakes for her family and was passionate about her family genealogy.

Aileen was preceded in death by her parents, brother Donald Ahern and sister Marjorie Neal.

Aileen is survived by her husband, Elmer of Aberdeen, SD, daughter Laura Lueck and her husband Ed, of Sioux Falls, SD, son Terry and his wife Patty and their children Danielle and Jameson, of Sioux Falls, SD, daughter Jeanne Goetz and her husband Marcus Lerch and their son, Franz, of Macdoel, CA, son Daniel and his wife Joanne and their children, Ethan Case, Olivia and Gabe, of Aberdeen, SD. Aileen is also survived by her brother, Maurice Ahern and wife Margery, Salina, KS, sister Mary Catey and her husband Bill, Edmonds, WA, sister Evangeline Henderson, Flandreau, SD, and sister in law, Margaret Ahern, Mesa, AZ, and many nieces and nephews.