Nelson F. Goetz died peacefully in his sleep at his home at the age of ninety-eight on April 14, 2023. He was a kind and humble man but could be strong willed. Even in his last days truly little got past him. His hobbies included growing organic vegetables, woodworking, and puzzles. Nelson was born on November 24, 1924, the third oldest of eight children by Fred John Goetz and Ruth Ann Goetz on a farm near Deerfield Michigan. Because of the Great Depression the family relocated near Warner Robbins, GA in 1932. After graduating high school and reaching his 18th birthday Nelson joined the Army and saw action on the island of Luzon. He resisted the Army’s suggestion after the war that he return to farming and graduated from GA Tech in 1951 with a Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree. In 1950 he married Sara Jo Haralson and they remained faithfully united until her passing in 2016. In the early 1960s he founded what would become Urban Engineers, Inc, a civil engineering and land planning firm that developed an expertise in industrial site development and he remained an integral part of the company until the pandemic. Survivors include siblings Doris Charnock of Evans, GA, Kenneth Goetz of Perry, GA and JoAnn Britt of Fort Valley, GA; son Wade Goetz (Libby) of Atlanta; grandson Ralson Goetz (Kimmie) of Atlanta; granddaughter Lissy Goetz (Vince Stretch) of Atlanta; and great grandchildren McClain Goetz, Anne Nelson Goetz, Wade Goetz III, and Blakely Stretch. The family wishes to extend special thanks to Louise Greir for decades of service and companionship to Nelson and Sara Jo; to Evelyn Whitfield, Geralyn Joseph, Debra Dunklin, and Dorothy Anim for their compassionate care for him in his last months; and to Melissa Adamson and Debora Finch for helping him pass peacefully into the next world. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to a charity of your choice. The family will receive friends on April 25th at 12 o’clock followed by the funeral service at 1 o’clock at H.M. Patterson and Son, Arlington Chapel, 173 Allen Rd., NE, Sandy Springs, GA 30328. A reception will immediately follow the service. Interment services will follow the reception at Arlington Memorial Park.
