Elaine Luella (Wedel) Goering

Elaine Luella Wedel Goering, age 88, died on September 29, 2014 at The Cedars in McPherson, Kansas.

She was born on September 26, 1926 in Newton, Kansas, the daughter of Edward B. and Katherine Wedel. She spent much of her childhood in Oklahoma until her parents moved to N. Newton, Kansas where she attended high school. She graduated from Bethel College in N. Newton, Kansas with a degree in home economics and music.  She married Oswald H. Goering (Ozzie) on May 25, 1947. As volunteers for Mennonite Central Committee, she and Ozzie worked in Paraguay where they assisted in resettling war refugees (1949-1951). She was a member of the Bethel College Mennonite Church, Mt. Morris Illinois Church of the Brethren, and the McPherson Church of the Brethren.  Elaine was a homemaker and musician. Much of her life focused on supporting her husband in his many educational and charitable activities and her children. She loved music, sang in church choirs, and played piano and organ. She was known at The Cedars for her singing with her iPod and headphones as she traveled up and down the halls of the retirement community. She loved handcrafts (knitting, embroidery, sewing, crochet, and needlepoint). She traveled the world (Germany, Poland, Russia, Vietnam, China, Africa and South America) and spoke German fluently. She collected stuffed animals and had a large beany baby collection of more than 450 animals.

Elaine is survived by her two daughters, Kathryn Goering Reid and husband Stephen, Waco, Texas, and Patricia Goering Alba and her husband, Joseph, Gainesville, Florida; one brother, Arnold Wedel and wife Dolores, North Newton, Kansas; six grand children, Derek Reid, and wife Laura, Jacob Reid and wife Rochelle, Mary Reid, Jesse Reid and wife Lara, Elli Miles and husband Scott, and Billie Alba; and three great grandchildren, Carlisle Reid-Russell, Stephen Jacob Reid, and Rachel Kathryn Reid.

The family will receive friends on Thursday from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. at the Moundridge Funeral Home. Funeral service will be held on Friday at 2:00 p.m. in the Moundridge Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow in the Eden Mennonite Church Cemetery.  Memorial donations are suggested to the Kauffman Museum, North Newton, in care of the funeral home.