The family of Georgene Goeres invites you to attend the Celebration of Her Life and Burial at the Goeres Farm located 18 miles south of Elgin or 16 miles north of Keldron at 2:00pm MT Saturday, June 4, 2016. Fr. Tony Grossenburg will officiate and lunch will follow.

Georgene Medford (Dugan) Goeres was born February 7, 1945, in St. Paul, Minnesota, to Emily Shepherd Waller. Georgene attended grades 1-8 at St. Agatha's Catholic School in Portland, Oregon. Her Freshman and Sophomore years were spent at Beaverton High School in Beaverton, Oregon. Her Junior and Senior years of high school were completed at St. Francis Catholic School in Eugene, Oregon. She graduated from Bismarck State College with honors in 1998 with an Associates Degree in Medical Office Administration.
She was blessed with a son, James Patrick, on February 14, 1965, and a daughter, Kelly Jean, on April 13, 1966.

Georgene was united in marriage to Vern Goeres on April 15, 1968. Vern later adopted James and Kelly in 1970. A son, John David, was born on May 27, 1972. In 1986, Edward Allen Goeres (nephew) came to live with Georgene and Vern. Georgene raised him as a son and he lived with them until he graduated from Lemmon High School in 1993.

Georgene and Vern moved to Lemmon, South Dakota, shortly after their marriage and worked on various ranches in the community. Georgene was a city-girl and received an introduction to farm life during those beginning years. In 1972, Georgene and Vern left South Dakota to move to Oregon where she continued to raise her family. After John was born an opportunity for the family to move to Arizona emerged. After some time in Arizona, the family then moved to Alaska while working on the Alaska Pipeline for three years. She was a devoted wife and mother while maintaining the households they lived in. They worked in every state west of the Mississippi River, except Hawaii. After returning to Lemmon, Georgene and her family settled into small town living. She and Vern built a gas station in 1979. The entire family worked at the station for several years. Georgene and Vern purchased the Goeres Farm south of Elgin, North Dakota, in 1987. After graduating from Bismarck State College in 1998, Georgene worked from home in the medical transcription field for seven years.

In 1989, Kelly blessed Georgene with her first grandchild, Emilie Baxter. In 1992, Zachary Baxter was born giving Georgene two grandchildren to enjoy. In 1997, John married Julie (Sherrard) and three more grandchildren were born for Georgene to love…John Logan (2001), Jorja (2004), and Jadyn (2006). In 2013, Georgene's first great-granddaughter was born, Avery Jean, to Emilie and Tyler Hesby. A second great-granddaughter, Hattie Elaine, was born January 27, 2016, and joined Emilie and Tyler's family.
Georgene was active in Eastern Star while living in Lemmon. Georgene enjoyed crocheting, making quilts, riding horse, lambing sheep and growing her garden. She helped with the many tasks of running a farm, including raising and butchering chickens. She loved fishing and spent many hours at Donna Weishaar's Crossing. She made tons of horseradish and sauerkraut. One of her favorite things was to go to the Final-Go-Round in Morristown, South Dakota, for steak and beer where she could visit with her friends. One of Georgene's favorite memories is when she deployed on the Tiger Cruise of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt CVN 71 during 2003 where she experienced life aboard a carrier with John.

Georgene passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on February 23, 2016.

She will be missed by her husband, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, extended family and many friends. She will be remembered fondly by her family and friends as a spirited red-head who spoke her mind and did not mince words. Her quick wit, straight-up brand of common sense and humor would bring a hearty laugh even in the midst of the most serious of situations. She had a talent for being straightforward and kind all at the same time.

She is survived by her husband, Vern Goeres of Morristown, SD; her eldest son, Jim Goeres of Morristown, SD; her daughter and Son-in-law, Kelly (Dana) Fitzgerald of Milesville, SD; her youngest son and Daughter-in-law, John (Julie) Goeres of Morristown, SD; five grandchildren, Emilie (Tyler) Hesby of Lake Preston, SD; Zachary Baxter of Milesville, SD; John Logan, Jorja, & Jadyn Goeres of Morristown, SD; two great Granddaughters, Avery & Hattie Hesby of Lake Preston, SD; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Emily Waller; Mother-in-law, Laurentina Goeres; and Brother-in-law, Chuck Goeres.