Cletus J. Goettl

Cletus John Goettl, 96, of North Mankato, MN passed away on September 11, 2023, at home after a long, well lived life.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m., Saturday, September 16, 2023, at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, Mankato.  Visitation will be from 9-10:30 a.m. Saturday at the church.  Interment will be in Holy Family Cemetery, Lake Crystal.   Mankato Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Cletus was born June 19, 1927, on a farm east of Mankato to Louis and Marie (Hartung) Goettl.  He attended SS Peter and Paul school in Mankato.  On September 11, 1951, he married his wife, Elaine (Weber) Goettl, at St. John’s Catholic Church in Searles, MN.  They were married exactly 72 years.  He served in the U.S. Army, worked at the Mankato Creamery, and then focused on his life’s plan of being a farmer.  Together, Cletus and Elaine farmed in North Mankato, Madison Lake, and then moved to their farm between Lake Crystal and New Ulm. Here, they enjoyed life for 54 years and raised their 4 children.  Cletus was a member of Holy Family Catholic Church in Lake Crystal. He enjoyed being a dairy farmer, raising potatoes, going to auctions, playing cards, going to dances or out for dinner, and having a good manhattan or beer with family and friends.  He lived in North Mankato with his wife for the last 8 years.

Cletus is survived by his wife, Elaine (Weber) Goettl; his children, Diane (Gene) McShane, Ted (Tania) Goettl, Ellen (Brian) Barnett, and Ray Goettl; 8 grandchildren, Nick, Shauna, Mark, Laura, Lance, Grant, Breanna, and Joleen; 16+ great grandchildren; his brothers, Louis (Donna) Goettl and Richard Goettl; and brothers-in-law, R Paul Wilmes and Marlyn Denn.

Cletus was preceded in death by his parents, Louis and Marie Goettl; infant great grandson; siblings and spouses, Julian (Mary) Goettl, Bernard (Delores) Goettl, Lorraine (Jerry) Frederick, Adeline (Curtis) Sieberg, Wilfred (LaVonne) Goettl, Roger (Sandra) Goettl, Elaine (Francis) Swieger, and Mary Lou Denn; and sisters-in-law, Phyllis “Skip” Wilmes and Phyllis Goettl.

A very special thank you to Mayo Hospice – Mankato.