MaryDee Goettsche

Mary Dee Goettsche, born Mary Dorothea Stark, returned home on March 12, 2024, surrounded by family and close friends. 

Mary Dee was born November 17, 1940 in Nampa, Idaho to Charles Rathbone Stark III and Ruth Pharr. As a child, the family moved between Oregon and Utah before settling in Idaho Falls in 1952, where she lived the remainder of her life. 

Upon graduating from Idaho Falls High School in 1958, she attended College of Idaho in Caldwell, where she met her dear husband, James (Jim) Goettsche. They had met prior to college at a Presbyterian Youth Camp. Jim noticed a cute, freckle faced young woman, and, upon seeing her in college years later, remembered her face and asked her out.  They were married September 15,1963 and they shared a joyful marriage. They were blessed with two sons, Daniel James in 1965, and Michael David in 1973.

God blessed Mary Dee with many interests and passions, foremost among them was music. She was a skilled vocalist and flautist. She started playing the flute during her time in Oregon, and when the family moved to Idaho Falls, she quickly became first chair in the school band. While in high school, she was the first young person selected to play the flute in the Idaho Falls Symphony. She also enjoyed singing with the church choirs and was frequently requested to be a vocal soloist at funerals and other events. Once after singing the Exsultet (Easter Proclamation) at the Easter Vigil, the pastor compared her to the singer at St. Peter's Basilica.

Mary Dee had a great love of nature that she shared with her family and passed on to her children and grandchildren. After high school, she spent a summer working in Yellowstone National Park. She studied botany in college, and she and Jim celebrated their honeymoon in Yellowstone and Glacier National Park. Once Dan and Mike were born, the family enjoyed many camping and hiking trips where Mary Dee was always sure to point out many wonderful varieties of flowers, moss, and lichen.

Service to God and to others was the major calling throughout Mary Dee's life. She and Jim were involved in many prayer groups and Bible studies and made hundreds of lifelong friends. In the mid-1970s, the words of Isaiah 55 inspired Mary Dee --"Come all you who are thirsty, come to the waters;'' -- and she felt called to the Catholic Church. Upon joining the Catholic Church on Easter Sunday 1979, Mary Dee and Jim were active in several ministries: Deaconate, Cursillo, Renew, and hospital ministry. With Jack Bigelow and Fr. Tim O'Toole, Mary Dee and Jim started the Senior Luncheon program which is still going strong today.  Her greatest call was to serve and be present with others; anyone who knew her knew how kind she was and how heavily involved she was in her faith.

Mary Dee is preceded in death by her parents, husband, and her brother Jim. She is survived by her sister (Charlotte Hall), her two sons, Dan and Mike, five grandchildren (Jennifer, Sean, James, Jacob, and Jwon), and one great-grandchild, Parker.

Her Celebration of Life will begin at 6:00pm Thursday, March 21st with a vigil/rosary service at Buck-Murphy Funeral Home. A traditional viewing will follow from 7:00-9:00pm. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Holy Rosary Parish Church at 10:30am on March 22nd with a graveside service to follow. A luncheon for family and friends will start around 1:30pm at Christ the King Parish Hall where we encourage attendess to share remembrances.

As we celebrate Mary Dee's life and reunion with her husband and her Savior, we ask that everyone who plans to attend join us in honoring her wishes for a bright and colorful celebration to match the bright and happy view she took on life. In lieu of flowers, and to further her calling to help others, we request that donations be made to the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Judicial District 7 in Idaho Falls (https://www.casa7.org). We want to thank all those who supported Mary Dee during her stay in the hospital prior to her graduation from this life. She deeply appreciated every visit and phone call, as did her family.