1925
Lee
2015
Lee Gotchall
July 28, 1925 — September 28, 2015
Longtime Goodland, Kansas resident Lee Vernon Gotchall, 90, died Monday, September 28, 2015.
He was born on July 28, 1925, at Lebanon, Nebraska, the son of Edna (Mays) and Alferd Gotchall. In 1929, the family moved to Goodland, where he began kindergarten. In 1930, the family moved to a farm northwest of Lebanon, Nebraska, and Lee continued his education at a country school in grades one through five. In 1935, the family moved into Lebanon where Lee finished the sixth through tenth grades. In 1941, the family moved back to Goodland, where Lee finished eleventh and twelfth grades, graduating with the class of 1943 from Sherman Community High School.
Lee served his country in the United States Marine Corps, from November 5, 1943, through November 10, 1945, in actions in World War II, in the South Pacific on the Islands of Saipan and Iwo Jima.
On September 18, 1945, he and Opal Faye Sidman were married at the First Methodist Church in Goodland, and they made their home in Goodland, following Lee’s honorable discharge from the Marine Corps. Lee worked for the Goodland Natural Gas Company, McClure Plumbing, Edson Lorite Mill, and then in 1957, he began work with the Rock Island Railroad as a plumber. After a year there, he started his own plumbing business. Later, he returned to Rock Island Railroad, working as a brakeman, and then as a conductor. When Rock Island closed here, he worked from 1980 through 1982, as a brakeman and conductor for the Burlington Northern Railroad, operating between Norton and Phillipsburg. His wife Opal died on February 26, 1988.
On September 21, 1990, he and Lila Lee Blythe were married in Goodland, and she added her children Trent Blythe and his wife Sharon, LaVonne Robinson and her husband George, Carol Moore and her husband Floyd, to the family.
Preceding him in death were his wife Opal Gotchall; grandchildren Bryce Gotchall, Krista Gotchall, and Jenny Rebecca McCurry; and great-grandchildren James Tyler Lee McCurry and Amanda Lynne McCurry.
Surviving family his wife Lila Gotchall of Colby; two daughters Mary Ann Mills of Goodland; Susan Kay Schaben and her husband Lennie of Aurora, Colorado; two sons Terry Lee Gotchall and his wife Teresa of Colby; Larry Dean Gotchall and his wife Carol of Schoenchen; grandchildren Sherry Lynn Thomas of Goodland; Tammy Lee Wells and her husband Jay of Alma, Nebraska; Lori Gotchall of Manhattan; Travis Gotchall and his wife Gabi of Germany; Tobie Gotchall of Goodland; Michelle Fell and her husband John of Centennial, Colorado; Lynette Stockman and her husband Brien of Logan; Shane Schaben and his wife Teri of Watkins, Colorado; Charles Schaben of Elizabeth, Colorado; Nate Schaben and his wife Jaci of Selden; Shayla Gotchall of Leavenworth; great-grandchildren Cappi Thomas, Thomas McCurry, Chere’ Ann Gibreal and her husband Bryan, Michael Thomas Wells, David Wesley Wells, Cody Michael Wells, Anthony James Wells, Keely Williams, Braxton Jumper, Kevin Gotchall, Marvin Gotchall, Krishten Gotchall, Allyson Gotchall, Megan Gotchall, Jocelyn Gotchall, Gage Fell, Hanna Fell, Cole Archer, Lane Archer, Erin Archer, Riley Stockman, Tammy Lambdin, Nick Mountjoy, Ashley Bova, Casey Schaben, Tyler Schaben, Brooke Schaben, Kaylin Schaben, Karrington Schaben, Keon Schaben; great-great-grandchildren Madison Faith Gibreal, Braxton Clay Gibreal, Emma Williams, Jayda Gotchall, William Gotchall, Diego Chaulet, Presley Mountjoy; great-great-great-granddaughter Novalee Chaulet; siblings Betty Bonebright and her husband Dwayne of Conway Springs; Lorna Tovrea of Fort Walton Beach, Florida; Thomas Gotchall and his wife Ruth of Emporia; and many nieces and nephews.
The funeral service will be Saturday, October 3, at 10:00 AM MT, at the First United Methodist Church in Goodland, with Pastor Lyn Linde officiating. Burial, with military honors, will follow in the Goodland Cemetery.
Friends may share their respects on Friday, from 4:00 until 6:00 PM MT, at Koons Chapel in Goodland.
Memorials may be designated to American Legion Post 117, and may be mailed to Koons Funeral Home, 211 N. Main, Goodland, KS 67735-1555. Online condolences: www.koonsfuneralhome
He was born on July 28, 1925, at Lebanon, Nebraska, the son of Edna (Mays) and Alferd Gotchall. In 1929, the family moved to Goodland, where he began kindergarten. In 1930, the family moved to a farm northwest of Lebanon, Nebraska, and Lee continued his education at a country school in grades one through five. In 1935, the family moved into Lebanon where Lee finished the sixth through tenth grades. In 1941, the family moved back to Goodland, where Lee finished eleventh and twelfth grades, graduating with the class of 1943 from Sherman Community High School.
Lee served his country in the United States Marine Corps, from November 5, 1943, through November 10, 1945, in actions in World War II, in the South Pacific on the Islands of Saipan and Iwo Jima.
On September 18, 1945, he and Opal Faye Sidman were married at the First Methodist Church in Goodland, and they made their home in Goodland, following Lee’s honorable discharge from the Marine Corps. Lee worked for the Goodland Natural Gas Company, McClure Plumbing, Edson Lorite Mill, and then in 1957, he began work with the Rock Island Railroad as a plumber. After a year there, he started his own plumbing business. Later, he returned to Rock Island Railroad, working as a brakeman, and then as a conductor. When Rock Island closed here, he worked from 1980 through 1982, as a brakeman and conductor for the Burlington Northern Railroad, operating between Norton and Phillipsburg. His wife Opal died on February 26, 1988.
On September 21, 1990, he and Lila Lee Blythe were married in Goodland, and she added her children Trent Blythe and his wife Sharon, LaVonne Robinson and her husband George, Carol Moore and her husband Floyd, to the family.
Preceding him in death were his wife Opal Gotchall; grandchildren Bryce Gotchall, Krista Gotchall, and Jenny Rebecca McCurry; and great-grandchildren James Tyler Lee McCurry and Amanda Lynne McCurry.
Surviving family his wife Lila Gotchall of Colby; two daughters Mary Ann Mills of Goodland; Susan Kay Schaben and her husband Lennie of Aurora, Colorado; two sons Terry Lee Gotchall and his wife Teresa of Colby; Larry Dean Gotchall and his wife Carol of Schoenchen; grandchildren Sherry Lynn Thomas of Goodland; Tammy Lee Wells and her husband Jay of Alma, Nebraska; Lori Gotchall of Manhattan; Travis Gotchall and his wife Gabi of Germany; Tobie Gotchall of Goodland; Michelle Fell and her husband John of Centennial, Colorado; Lynette Stockman and her husband Brien of Logan; Shane Schaben and his wife Teri of Watkins, Colorado; Charles Schaben of Elizabeth, Colorado; Nate Schaben and his wife Jaci of Selden; Shayla Gotchall of Leavenworth; great-grandchildren Cappi Thomas, Thomas McCurry, Chere’ Ann Gibreal and her husband Bryan, Michael Thomas Wells, David Wesley Wells, Cody Michael Wells, Anthony James Wells, Keely Williams, Braxton Jumper, Kevin Gotchall, Marvin Gotchall, Krishten Gotchall, Allyson Gotchall, Megan Gotchall, Jocelyn Gotchall, Gage Fell, Hanna Fell, Cole Archer, Lane Archer, Erin Archer, Riley Stockman, Tammy Lambdin, Nick Mountjoy, Ashley Bova, Casey Schaben, Tyler Schaben, Brooke Schaben, Kaylin Schaben, Karrington Schaben, Keon Schaben; great-great-grandchildren Madison Faith Gibreal, Braxton Clay Gibreal, Emma Williams, Jayda Gotchall, William Gotchall, Diego Chaulet, Presley Mountjoy; great-great-great-granddaughter Novalee Chaulet; siblings Betty Bonebright and her husband Dwayne of Conway Springs; Lorna Tovrea of Fort Walton Beach, Florida; Thomas Gotchall and his wife Ruth of Emporia; and many nieces and nephews.
The funeral service will be Saturday, October 3, at 10:00 AM MT, at the First United Methodist Church in Goodland, with Pastor Lyn Linde officiating. Burial, with military honors, will follow in the Goodland Cemetery.
Friends may share their respects on Friday, from 4:00 until 6:00 PM MT, at Koons Chapel in Goodland.
Memorials may be designated to American Legion Post 117, and may be mailed to Koons Funeral Home, 211 N. Main, Goodland, KS 67735-1555. Online condolences: www.koonsfuneralhome
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