Gotch, Joan

GOTCH (Berkenkamp), Joan Mary

Joan Mary Gotch (Berkenkamp) flew to heaven to be reunited with her beloved husband of 60 years--Francis "Gene" Gotch on November 8, 2024 after spending 91 amazing years on Earth. She was also greeted in heaven by her parents Theodore and Mary Dorothy (Sikora) Berkenkamp and infant son David Andrew. She is survived here on earth by her four children: Stephen Michael, Kathryn Anne (John) Staiger, Gregory Alan and Susanne Marie (Andrew) Brewer; five grandchildren: Sonya and Renata Gotch, Cerise (Jalon) Tyler, Austin and Aaron Staiger, and great grandson Weston Tyler. Joan was born on October 30, 1933 in Manchester, Connecticut. When she was 15 her family moved to Dallas, Texas where she graduated from an all-girls school - Our Lady of Good Counsel Academy. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. While working at Chance Vought Aircraft, she met Gene on a blind date while he was in pilot training in Waco, Texas. Upon getting stationed to Germany, Gene, not wanting to be separated from Joan, proposed. They were married in Franziskaner Kirche in Dortmund, Germany in the presence of her German aunt and uncle, friends, and relatives. After honeymooning in Paris, Netherlands, and Luxembourg, they attended the World's Fair in Brussels and started a beautiful life together, raised four children, and traveled the world. Her many talents included sewing, needlepoint, crocheting, knitting, macrame, painting, ceramics, cake decorating, cooking, piano, and genealogy. Once the children were enrolled in school, she went back to work and school part time to learn computer programing. Joan got a job at Logicon Inc. where she ended up working on programming for the B-2 Stealth Bomber. She was an inspiration to all, and her words of wisdom were: "It never hurts to try!" and "The Lord helps those who help themselves!" A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 am on Monday, November 18 at St Luke Catholic Church, 1440 North Fairfield Rd, Beavercreek Ohio with

Father Patrick Blenman the celebrant. The family will receive friends at the church from 9:30 am until the time of services on Monday. Interment will be held at 9:00 am on Tuesday, November 19 at Dayton National Cemetery. A special thanks to all her compassionate caregivers the past couple years to include Greene County Council on Aging, Dynamic Senior Solutions, Touching Hearts at Home, and Buckeye and Dayton Hospices. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to a caring charity of your choice. Those wishing to share a fond memory or condolence may sign the guestbook at www.tobias-fh.com

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