Johnny Goertzen

Johnny A. Goertzen, age 91, of Aurora, passed away Friday, May 19, 2023, at Memorial Community Care in Aurora.

Funeral Services will be held 10:30 A.M., Tuesday, May 23rd at the First Christian Church. Rev. Penny Schulz will officiate. Inurnment will be in the Aurora Cemetery at a later date. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 P.M. Monday at Higby-McQuiston Mortuary in Aurora. Memorials in Johnny's memory may be made to the donor's choice. Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through the mortuary website at www.higbymortuary.com.

OBITUARY: JOHNNY GOERTZEN

Johnny A. Goertzen was born to Abraham J. and Minnie (Friesen) Goertzen, the third of nine children, on November 1, 1931 at Aurora, Nebraska and passed away in Aurora, Nebraska on May 19, 2023 at the age of 91.

Johnny attended elementary school in Henderson and rural York and Hamilton Counties. He was one of 3 to attend Stockham Schools his Junior year when in 1949 the school closed. He attended and graduated from Aurora High School with the Class of 1950.

Johnny helped on the farm and helped several farmers. After his graduation, he worked for Hamilton County hauling gravel and also the Wortman Motor Company. He served in the United States Army from May 1952 until February of 1954 stationed in Korea near the 38th parallel for 13 months where he saw combat and achieved the rank of Sargent. He served with the 25th Infantry Lighting Division. He received the Combat Infantry Badge, United Nations Service Medal-National Defense Service, Korean Service Medal w/Bronze Service Star Good Conduct Medal. When returning from his active duty with the military, he participated in the Army Reserves for four years.

Johnny was united in marriage to Donna Blackburn on September 9, 1956 at the First Christian Church in Aurora. Johnny worked for Farmer's Union Creamery after the Army. He moved the family to Snyder, Nebraska, where he worked for Prenzlow Processing and then moved to York where he worked for Champion Home Builders and Kaedings Market. In 1975, they moved to Aurora where he worked for Holtzen Processing and then worked with his brother, Milton Goertzen, in Goertzen Processing. In 1984, Johnny began working at the Leadership Center and continued for 22 years, enjoying every minute of it.

Johnny was an active member of the First Christian Church in Aurora. Johnny and Donna had a Daycare in Aurora where he really enjoyed both helping Donna and caring for the children. The couple started their 2nd family when they adopted Crystal Gayle in 1985 and George in 1988. They moved to East Part Villa in 2016.

Johnny was preceded in death by his parents, Abraham and Minnie Goertzen; son, Kirk Goertzen; and brothers, Milton, Leo, and Everette Goertzen.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife, Donna of Aurora; sons, Matthew and Craig of Aurora, Troy Goertzen of York, Chad (Kira) Goertzen of Lincoln and George (Gabrielle) Brosman of Aurora; daughter, Crystal Gayle Goertzen of Grand Island; 7 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren; daughter-in-law, Sharon Goertzen of Hampton; brother, Denton Goertzen; sisters Josephine Troutman of Holdrege, Elizabeth Bicknase and Amanda Williams of Aurora, and Marlene (Bob) Walton of Lincoln; sisters-in-law Erma Goertzen, Linda Blackburn, and Glarae (John) Johnston; and many nieces, nephews other family members and friends.