Joseph John Goettle
Joseph John Goettle, 82, of Troy, Montana, passed away peacefully on Jan. 16, 2025, after a difficult battle with cancer.
He was born Sept. 1, 1942, in Kenmare, North Dakota to Leonard and Annie Goettle and graduated from Donnybrook High School in 1960. He was drafted into the Army after turning 18 and spent two years overseas in Germany. He was a proud veteran and loved his time overseas, still reminiscing about those years near the end.
He returned to Donnybrook, North Dakota after the military and worked on the family ranch and for the Farmers Union in Kenmare, North Dakota.
He married Jocelyn Wink of Sherwood, North Dakota in 1964. They had four children before moving to Troy, Montana in 1978. They divorced in 1982 and he married Marlene Price a few years later. They had an adventurous life moving from Troy to Elko, Nevada and then to Great Falls, Montana before Marlene’s passing in 2010.
In 2014, Jack married sweet and loving Mary Jo Pepiot and they created a beautiful life in Troy where he lived until the end. Jack, as we all knew him, was a jack of all trades and a master of many. He was a rancher and farmer, a professional sheep shearer, a laborer in the oil fields, a heavy equipment operator, a logger, a miner, a truck driver and most importantly a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend.
He never met a stranger in his life and had countless friends from the day he was born until his very last days. His unparalleled positivity and beaming smile warmed anyone in his vicinity. He enjoyed any and all time he could spend with any family member from a far away cousin to his closest family member.
He enjoyed ice fishing, summer fishing and boating, working, driving truck and hauling gravel for his nephew Wyatt, but mostly he loved visiting with his family.
He is survived by his sweet Mary Jo (Troy) and her children Kelli (Brad) Erickson (South Bend, Oregon), Sheena Martin (Salcha, Alaska) and Joseph (Madaya) Pepiot (Elko, Nevada); his children Michelle Martin (Hansen, Idaho), Brian (Michelle) Goettle (Kimberly, Idaho), Blane (Dong) Goettle (Sacramento, California), and Jake (Heidy) Goettle (Helena, Montana); Marlene’s daughter Kerri (David) Augare (Valier, Montana); his siblings Leon Goettle (Minot, North Dakota), Joyce (Andy) Bly (Minot, North Dakota), Lawrence (Nancy) Goettle (Donnybrook, North Dakota), Margaret Goettle (Minot, North Dakota), Dan Goettle (White Earth, North Dakota), Laureen (Bob) Klein (Burlington, North Dakota), and Monica (Ron) Dessonville (Dawson, Minnesota) and sister-in-law Doris Goettle (Donnybrook, North Dakota); grandchildren Tyler, Garrett, Cooper, CW, Ethan, Sierra, Ansel, Dakota, Jaden, Gabrielle, Jameson, Jacqueline, Alissa, Grace, Heidi, Brad, Shaylee, David, Jonathon, Martina, Karlee, Malena, and Brian; as well as numerous great grandchildren, nephews and nieces.
He is preceded in death by his parents Leonard and Annie, his brother Jim Goettle, sister-in-law Leeann Goettle, son-in-law Jeff Martin and son-in-law James Martin.
A service will be held at the Immaculate Conception in Troy at noon Saturday, Jan. 25. A celebration of life will be held this summer at a location to be determined.