Aurora Goetz

Luisa Aurora Goetz, 82, passed away on December 22, 2023 at her home in Grosse Pointe Woods, MI with her loving husband and daughters by her side. Aurora was born to parents Rafael Cruz and Luisa Cruz, on August 13th, 1941, in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Aurora graduated from La Providencia high school in Guayaquil in 1960 and later attended the University of Guayaquil majoring in languages.

She met her husband, Richard Goetz, in 1966 while he was a Peace Corps Volunteer working in Milagro, Ecuador where her family had a business. They were married on January 25, 1969, in Guayaquil. While Richard was in law school, Aurora worked as an administrative assistant in the accountancy department at the University of Illinois. Later they moved to Indianapolis where Aurora was a bilingual secretary and then administrative assistant to the news director at the ABC affiliate TV station. They moved to Caracas, Venezuela in 1973 where they lived for 10 years and where their two daughters; Kari and Kirsten Goetz were born. From Caracas they moved to Michigan where Richard continued to work for Ford and Aurora dedicated herself to raising her children and various community activities.

Aurora loved music of all kinds and was a Trustee of the Detroit Opera. She enjoyed cooking, baking, and most especially playing with her granddaughter Adora. She loved to travel with her family, and together they visited six of the seven continents.

Aurora is survived by her husband, Richard, daughters Kari and Kirsten, granddaughter, Adora as well as numerous nieces and nephews and their children and grandchildren in the U.S. and in Ecuador. Aurora was preceded in death by her parents Luisa and Rafael and her siblings Hector, Eloy, William, and Maria.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, December 28, 2023 from 2:00 until 8:00 pm at the A. H. Peters Funeral Home, 20705 Mack Ave, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48088. An instate will take place at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, 467 Fairford Rd. Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236, at 9:30 am on Friday, December 29, 2023, followed by a funeral mass at 10:00 am at Our Lady Star of the Sea.

In lieu of flowers, donations will support the Rogel Cancer Center Pancreatic Cancer Program Fund at the University of Michigan. Checks may be made to “University of Michigan” and sent to the Michigan Medicine Office of Development, 777 E. Eisenhower Pkwy., Suite 650, Ann Arbor, MI 48108. You may also call 734-764-6777 or visit the website victors.us/auroragoetz to make your gift.