Stella Pearl Goertz

On Friday, Sept. 30, 2016 Stella Pearl Goertz went home to the loving arms of her Heavenly Father.  Known as "Pearl" to her family and friends, she was born at home in McPherson County, Kansas on March 27, 1930.  She grew up on a farm, one of nine siblings, the 6th child of David and Lydia Buller.  The depression era upbringing taught her the values of family, thrift, and hard work.  In 1949 Pearl met the love of her life Linferd Goertz of Hillsboro, Kansas who became her husband of nearly sixty-five years.

  After the birth of their first son, the family moved to Washington State.  Two more sons followed, and the family eventually settled on a chicken farm outside Ferndale, Washington where the boys all grew up.  Pearl was a gardener extraordinaire, with multiple gardens, vegetable and fruit fields and a greenhouse on the family homestead.  Even as adults, her children and grandchildren delighted in the fresh food and Pearl's outstanding jams and jellies made on the farm.  Pearl could bake anything and did, fresh bread, pastries, pies, and cakes. The kitchen always smelled great. Holidays at the Goertz household were looked forward to, with the anticipation of many different ethnic foods of Prussian, German and Ukrainian origin.  Her cooking will be sorely missed! 

 She was extremely creative and could make beautiful and interesting things out of a wide variety of things. She took up oil painting as a hobby and eventually became so good that her paintings became the centerpiece of family art in the homes of her children and relatives from Kansas to Texas.  Her hands were always busy.

Pearl will be remembered her remarkable piano skills.  For many decades, Pearl was a pianist and organist for the Glendale Mennonite Church in Lynden, the Rome Community Church, and then later, the Good News Fellowship Church near Ferndale.  She had a fine "ear" for music and could play everything from Gospel, to Glen Miller...to Elton John. She loved play with other artists at church and the Lynden senior center.

 Pearl is survived by her husband Linferd; son Jeffery and his wife Larissa, son Kevin and his wife Kim, son Terrell and wife Colleen; six grandchildren Jake(Rachel), Josh(Yaprak), Sean, Rachel, Tatiana(Andy),  Stacia; three great-grandsons Jayden, Mason, and Daneel. She is also survived by brothers Wesley, Clarence, Arlo and sister Elizabeth. She was preceded in death by sister Hilda and brothers Raymond, Harold, and Lloyd. Following a stroke and 5 years at the Christian Health Care Center in Lynden, Pearl is now at peace, in the presence of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:6. A memorial services will be held Friday, October 28, 2016, 2:00 PM at Good News Fellowship Church, 1252 W. Axton Rd., Ferndale, WA 98248 with Dr. Skip Suess and Pastor Tim Johnson officiating.