Dorothy Goesch

Dorothy Erika Fernsten Goesch, 95 years of age, lately of Provo, Utah passed from this life into the next on Friday, March 27, 2020 at her home in Provo, Utah. She died as a result of the infirmities of old age.

Mrs. Goesch was born on 13 February 1925 in Spanish Fork, Utah County, Utah to Henry Gustav Fernsten and Olive Ann Argyle. She and her family resided in Lake Shore, Utah County until she was about 6 or 7 years of age when the family moved to Calistoga, California. She was a graduate of Oakland High School in California and married Gordon W. Goesch in 1950. Mr. Goesch passed away in January 1991. Mrs. Goesch remained a widow for the rest of her life. She and Gordon raised their family in Oakland until 1958, when they relocated to San Jose for a year and then to Los Gatos, California. The moves to San Jose and Los Gatos were occasioned by Mr. Goesch’s work with International Business Machines Corporation. Dorothy continued to live in their home in Los Gatos until she returned to Utah County in August 1993. There she purchased a home in Provo where she lived until the end of her life. She relocated to Provo with the expectation and hope that her grandchildren would attend Brigham Young and she could be close to them and offer them “safe haven” from the rigors and occasional loneliness of university life. She lived to see her purpose fulfilled.

Prior to her marriage to Gordon, Mrs. Goesch worked for Shell Oil in San Francisco. After her marriage, she devoted the rest of her life to her husband, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and was a full-time homemaker

Mrs. Goesch was a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Of particular note was her service in the Young Women’s Mutual Improvement Association. She served at the ward and stake levels in that organization as a counselor and president. She attended over 30 Girls’ Camps serving as Camp Director or one of the camp cooks. She was artistically inclined and was a long time member of Ikebana International, a group specializing in artistic Japanese flower and ornamental small plant arranging. She also hand-decorated numerous small furniture items for each of her grandchildren and great grandchildren. For several years immediately prior to her death, she was a member of Comitas Cultural Club.

She was the mother of four children, Kimberle Argyle, Stewart Edward, Kristen Ann and Kendall Leigh. Survivors include three of her children Stewart (Mildred Allred) of Woodbridge VA, Kristen (Joseph Schillage) of Los Gatos, CA, and Kendall (Mark Mugleston) of Gilbert, AZ; grandchildren Bradley Andersen, Erika Andersen, Alicia Falls, Chloe Andersen, and Justin Andersen, Seraph Johnston, Gordon Goesch, Bergen Goesch, and Greta Winslow, Tanya Brown, Samuel Schillage, and Michael Schillage, Anne Hillstead, Alison Hillstead, Mark Mugleston, Madeline McEntire, and Michelle Mathews. At the time of her passing she was great grandmother to 27 beautiful great grandchildren.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, no funeral or memorial service will be held. There will be a small graveside service with grave dedication held at the Los Gatos Memorial Park in San Jose, California. At present, California graveside interment rules are “10 people, 10 minutes.” Mrs. Goesch’s living children and their spouses will be the attendees. A memorial service will be held after the pandemic is resolved.

Dorothy’s children and grandchildren wish to publicly thank the leaders and members of the Summit Ward for 26 years of love, kindness and support. What a huge debt of gratitude the whole Goesch clan owes to those wonderful Saints.