Rev. Robert Anthony Goebel S.J.

Fr. Robert Goebel, SJ, died April 7, 2015 at the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center Infirmary in Los Gatos, CA. He was 89. A dedicated priest, high school teacher, counsellor, and friend to many, he was known for his contagious enthusiasm for life and ability to motivate young people to higher levels of learning, religious fervor, and athletic achievements.

The fifth of six children, Robert Anthony Goebel was born on November 12, 1925, in Seattle to Leo and Margaret (Katzer) Goebel. He grew up in Granite Falls, WA (northwest of Everett) on a small dairy farm and knew well the hardships of life from the Great Depression. Bob graduated from Granite Falls H.S. in 1942, and enlisted in the U.S. Navy on his seventeenth birthday. He proudly served from 1942 to 1947. After his military duties he studied at Seattle University; to pay tuition and living expenses Bob worked as a waiter in upscale Seattle restaurants and received many accolades for his impeccable service. In August 1950 he entered the Jesuit Novitiate at Sheridan, OR. Fr. Goebel followed the regular course of Jesuit formation studies and teaching experiences and was ordained a priest on June 15, 1963, in Spokane.

The high school environment and Fr. Goebel were a natural fit for each another; his optimism and energy lit up any classroom where he taught while his serious nature commanded respect from young to old. From 1964 to 1970 Fr. Goebel taught and administered at Seattle Preparatory School; then he transferred to Gonzaga Preparatory for ten years of the same ministry. In 1980 Loyola Sacred Heart High School in Missoula, MT, sought him out as their Principal for a four year term. He returned to Gonzaga Prep in 1985 for eighteen years and served the many alumni of the school as a chaplain and friend. Fr. Goebel lent his talents to Bellarmine Preparatory for five years (2003 to 2008); a serious stroke and other health concerns brought him back to Spokane to join his brother Jesuits in their ministry of prayer for the Church and world.

As his health continued to decline and the Spokane Infirmary was slated for closure, it was decided to transfer Fr. Goebel to the Jesuit Infirmary in Los Gatos, CA. When apprised of this impending move, he said to the Jesuit Provincial, “Send me where you need me to go. When I signed up for this life I promised to go wherever the Provincial decided. And that’s what I will do.”

Fr. Goebel is survived by his sister Joan Flowerbird and sister-in-law Corrine Goebel (widow of his brother Donald). He was preceded in death by his brothers Noman, Leo, and Donald, and his sister Margaret Mary. There are several nieces, nephews, and cousins as well. He will be deeply missed by his many friends, former students, colleagues, parishioners, and brother Jesuits of the Oregon Province.

There will be a visitation at Ball & Dodd Funeral Home (5100 W. Wellesley Ave, Spokane, WA) on Thursday, April 16, from 10am to 4pm and Friday, April 17, from 10am to 1pm. A vigil service will be held Friday, April 17, at 7:00pm in the Chapel of the Three Companions at Gonzaga Preparatory School, 1224 E. Euclid Ave, Spokane, WA. The funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00am, Saturday, April 18, at St. Aloysius Church, 330 E. Boone Ave., Spokane, WA. The burial will be at 2:30pm, Saturday, April 18, at Mt. St. Michaels Cemetery. Contributions in honor of Fr. Goebel may be sent to: The Fr. Robert A. Goebel Scholarship Fund, c/o Gonzaga Preparatory School, 1224 E. Euclid Ave, Spokane, WA 99207; The Senior Jesuit Fund, c/o The Oregon Province, Society of Jesus, P.O. Box 86010, Portland, OR 97286; or to the charity of the donor’s choice.