Geneva Goettsch

Geneva Melvina Leone Bengtsson Walhstrom was born October 23, 1913 at Elk Township in Buena Vista County to her birth parents Tekla and Otto Anders Bengtsson. Her sister, Francis was born in 1912 in Sweden and then moved to Alta, Iowa. Geneva’s birth mother was in poor health, and at four days old, she was taken by John Alfred and Ellin Wahlstrom to care for her and love her as their own. She was baptized in Swedish by a pastor at the Lutheran church at Elk Township with her birth parents and the Wahlstroms as her witnesses. It was then that the Wahlstrom’s gave her their last name. Geneva’s sister Francis was adopted out to a family in Albert City when she was eight years old. A little brother, Karl Herman was born and died in 1915 and buried with their birth mother in the Alta Scandinavian Cemetery. Her birth father died in 1918 at the Denver, CO Sanatorium and was buried there.

Geneva was confirmed on April 1, 1928 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Alta by Pastor Nystander. She attended country school and town school. She was married to Kermit Goettsch on November 12, 1931 and they had 60 beautiful years together. The couple was blessed with a daughter, Marlys Jane on January 12, 1933 and died from a stroke in 1944. The couple was again blessed with another daughter, Janelle Jean Goettsch, born in January, 1946. Geneva enjoyed sewing and fancy work.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Kermit; daughter, Marlys; sister, Francis and brother, Karl.

Geneva is survived by her daughter, Janelle (Douglas) Stone of Blue Eye, Missouri; granddaughter, Julie (Jerry) Fox of Derby, Kansas; great-granddaughter, Cassandra Grote; and two great-great-grandchildren.