eternal life on January 1, 2019 in Citrus Heights at age 98.
Robert graduated form Concordia Theological Seminary in St. Louis in 1946 and became a Lutheran Minister; That same year he married Virginia (Vogel) Goetz, a war widow, and adopted her young daughter Janet.
His first church was in Fort Scott, Kansas. He then moved to California where he developed churches in the Sunnyvale area, and subsequently served churches in Lodi and Citrus Heights. Throughout this time he was also active on the district level of the Lutheran church of Northern California, Nevada and Hawaii. His duties included working on the mission
committee , serving as a vice president and as editor of a Lutheran magazine
supplement. His churches in Sunnyvale and Citrus Heights helped resettle war refugees from Europe and Vietnam. Following retirement from full-time ministry, he served as interim and vacancy pastor for several churches in Northern California.
An avid sportsman, Robert enjoyed playing baseball, basketball, bowling, and golf. He and Virginia raised seven children. After retirement they
enjoyed traveling internationally. He will be remembered for his faithfulness to his Lord, his church and his family and for his generosity of heart and hand by all who knew him.
He was preceded in death by granddaughters Mary and Rebecca, son Peter, son-in-law Toby, and wife Virginia. He is survived by four brothers (Ray, Wesley, Dwayne, and Dwight) as well as daughters Janet (Akira), Lynne (Stan), Claire, and Jean (Harlan), sons Joel (Elizabeth), and Kenneth (Hannah), fourteen grandchildren, and nineteen great grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to Lutheran World Relief or Heifer Project International.
