The Reverend John J. Goering Jr.

John James Goering II passed away on Friday, February 19.  He was born on January 18, 1936, in Kingman, Kansas, son of John James Goering and Emma (Graber) Goering (deceased) of Pretty Prairie, Kansas.  

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Beverly Ann Benson. John and Beverly were married in Hutchinson, Kansas, on August 17, 1957.  John is survived by his four children with Beverly, Anneliese (John) Homan of Sedalia, Missouri; Jay (Shawn) Goering of McKinney, Texas; Kyla (David) Gosset of Greenville, South Carolina; and Schuyler (Melody) Goering of Miltonvale, Kansas; two brothers, Glen Goering and Vern Goering, and one sister, Geneva Morgan.   

On December 28, 2014 John married Joan Boese, who survives of the home. Also surviving are a step-daughter Brenda (Kyle) Barger and four grandchildren, Matthew (Emily) Homan, Ashleigh (Tim) Noland, Mark Smallwood, Jayce Goering, Courtney (Blake) Summers, Brennon Barger, and Caroline Barger.       

John earned a Bachelors in Industrial Arts from Bethel College in 1957, a Masters in Industrial Arts from Fort Hays State University in 1973, and a Masters in Divinity from St. Paul’s Seminary in 1988.    

He touched the lives of many as a high school industrial arts teacher, driver’s education teacher, and football coach for 28 years in Ransom and Oberlin, Kansas. In 1983, he was recognized as the Outstanding Teacher of the Year in Kansas by the American Industrial Arts Association.

He retired as a teacher in 1985 to pursue a calling to the Methodist church where he served as a minister in the Longford, Lewis, Marion, and Newton, Kansas congregations, a second career spanning three decades.

John loved model trains and college sports, but many, including his children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews, will remember him for his unwavering faith in Jesus Christ and the power of prayer.   ​

A celebration of life will be 2:00 p.m., Monday, February 22, 2016 at Eastside United Methodist Church in Newton, Kansas. Visitation will be 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at Petersen Funeral Home with the family receiving friends from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Graveside committal service will be 10:00 a.m. Monday, February 22, 2016 at Lonestar Cemetery in Rural Pretty Prairie Kansas.

Memorials are suggested to Eastside United Methodist Church in Care of Petersen Funeral Home.