After years of working side-by-side with her late husband on the farm, Joann Goecks is now taking the time to make her own schedule. Although she has fond memories of her life that surrounded her with children, animals and heavy community involvement, she said she’s now finding joy in choosing what she does or whether or not she does it. 

It’s been a welcome change after years of hard work.

She was born in Monroe and grew up mostly in town. Goecks attended St. Victor School until eighth grade, outside of attending East School for kindergarten. 

With three younger sisters, Goecks found herself looking after children at a young age. By the time she was 15, she began working at One Hour Martinizing as a receptionist. By 16, different business owners were fighting over Goecks, a hardworking young girl who began making floors shine after being scrubbed by hand. 

Soon she was hired as a cashier at Kroger’s, where the Monroe EMS now stands. She said on weekends they would have fun roller skating.  

She graduated from Monroe High School in 1965.

“The plan was to keep working so I had enough money to buy clothes,” Goecks said with a laugh. As the oldest daughter she never really felt her mother captured her style in her clothing, and she enjoyed shopping for and purchasing her own. 

Around that time, her parents purchased a home that needed many upgrades and Goecks sensed they needed help. She kept working and paid off the $1,000 owed on it. 

“They found out later and they cried,” Goecks said. “They needed help.”

The girl who worked diligently at all things said she also has always enjoyed helping others; especially those close to her. 

“If I can help — terrific,” she said. “If I can’t — that’s OK too.”

In the 1960s, Goecks was working at Kroger when the man she would eventually marry walked in. She said she noticed him and his Mercury convertible. The rural Juda native asked her out and the rest, as they say, is history.

“There was something about him that was special,” Goecks said.

The couple married after dating less than a year and the girl who grew up in town soon fell into the life of a farm wife as they settled on 200 acres southeast of Juda. 

“I learned very fast,” she said with a smile. 

The couple milked, raised their herd from calves and later on added to the barn. They also had a hog house with pigs which farrowed every two months. They raised all their own steers. 

She said she became intertwined in the life of farming; even castrating her own piglets and making it important she rarely lose any. She did a lot of her own vet work, she said. The processes never really phased her; they were just things that “needed to be done.” 

The farm work never suffered because Goecks said she loved the farm like she loved Gary. She had never driven a tractor or chopped hay, along with several farm duties, but Gary stayed patient with her; only strengthening their relationship.

“I learned to love it,” she smiled.

Although the family didn’t travel much through the years because of the cows, Goecks said she has wonderful memories of cousins staying with them and enjoying the pool and the farm and outings to watch Gary play softball and slow pitch. 

The farm had become her home, she said. During tough times, she was always ready to get back to the animals she dearly loved.

Through the years the family also welcomed six exchange students into their home and many are still considered part of the family. A 15-year-old boy from Germany was their first experience. Though he wasn’t used to farm work, he quickly settled in. 

“You have to treat them like family,” she said. “The kids did chores before they could go and do things. It was feeding calves, bedding — simple stuff.”

Goecks stayed heavily involved through the years. When they were having trouble getting their children, Mike and Susie, to CCD classes she decided to start her own, and both taught and organized the program from 1973 until 1988. She is proud that she made it easier for Juda parents, many farming in the country, to have their children in the classes. 

In 1986, Goecks decided to run for the Juda School Board. She served as the clerk for the first year and was quickly voted in as president. She was the part of the “Save Our School” campaign and served as its secretary. She served nine years, spending eight as president before getting off of the board. She later returned in 2009, serving nine additional years on the board when she felt she had more to offer. 

Goecks felt she worked hard to look for ways to offer special courses in the small school. 

“I had a big mouth and I wasn’t afraid to put it into action,” she said with a laugh. “We learned to work as a group. Being on the school board is one of the most thankless jobs you can get.”

When her daughter Susie served as the Dairy Queen, Goecks was working for the Ag Chest and was asked to take over as Queen Chairperson. She spent four years in the role and then stayed on as an adviser, chaperone and all-around worker and volunteer for several years. She then took over as treasurer.

In the summer of 1992, the couple found themselves as empty nesters and sold their cows. Gary began working nights as a janitor at the school in Juda. Goecks worried about her husband working late nights, so she began to help him. During harvest time, they worked as a team. She would go in early while he finished chores and he came in later so she could come home.

The life they had built surrounded by chores and farming ultimately led to a tragic day. Gary died in a farming accident in September 2008. 

“We did stuff together from the time we got married until he passed away,” Goecks said. “I can say I had 41 years, 11 months and 10 days of a perfect marriage.” 

Although it’s been a decade since the loss of her husband, Goecks said she still feels its weight. 

“I lost half my heart that day,” she said. “I miss him every single day. My happiest days were when Gary was here. I can honestly say that. He was the love of my life and he will always be the love of my life.”

Goecks stayed on the farm for about a year after Gary died, but eventually sold it; it was simply too hard to see each day. Today, she feels blessed to live close to her children and grandchildren and finds comfort in each of them. She enjoys good friends as well. 

She worked at Walmart for a few years, but now loves to make her own schedule and keep up with her interests. One of them is crafting. She enjoys making wreaths for family and friends for each season and holiday. She also arranges wedding flowers and has always enjoyed being crafty and creative.

Home now looks a little different than the farm, but she is still surrounded by her granddaughter’s horses, and her puppy, Rexy, who is now the “love of her life” and “spoiled rotten.”

Goecks has found time to travel off the farm in recent years, taking trips to Texas, Hawaii and other places she desired to see.

Her open schedule allows time for doing what she loves, Goecks said. She may choose to get more involved in the community again, and has some ideas in mind of involvement on the horizon. She’s committed to finding a new happiness, led by her parents’ guidance, who always taught her to be truthful and kind.