Nancy Ellen Goeken, age 78 of Blair, passed away July 20, 2026, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Community in Blair. A celebration of life will be held at a later date at First United Methodist Church in Blair.

Nancy was born on November 14, 1947, in Storm Lake, Iowa, the daughter of Richard H. Baker and Bonnie L (Sawin) Baker. She attended kindergarten and the first grade in Climbing Hill, Iowa, the second grade in Oto, Iowa, and then attended Audubon Community Schools in Audubon, Iowa, from the third grade until her graduation in 1966.

On June 9, 1968, she was united in marriage to Richard Goeken at the Methodist Church in Audubon. Nancy attended Iowa Cosmetology School in Des Moines, Iowa, earning a degree in cosmetology. She worked for 7 years as a cosmetologist before beginning her career at Crowell Memorial Home and eventually working at Good Shepherd Lutheran Community and obtaining her Certified Nursing Assistant certificate and her Certified Medication Aid certificate. She worked at Good Shepherd for 19 years with the assisted living unit.

Nancy was an active member in First United Methodist Church in Blair, playing in the bell choir and singing in the vocal choir for many years. She was a member of the Order Of The Eastern Star in Audubon, Iowa and Blair, being a member for over 50 years. Nancy will always be remembered for the love she showed her family, helping raise her grandchildren, being an active reader, and her love of cats and dogs.

Nancy Ellen Goeken, age 78 of Blair, passed away July 20, 2026, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Community in Blair. A celebration of life will be held at a later date at First United Methodist Church in Blair. Nancy leaves her husband of 58 years Richard Goeken, children; Jeffrey Goeken, Neal (Georgia) Goeken and Kathleen (Jason Crawford) Goeken, grandchildren; Dustin (Shelby) Goeken, Jade (Matthew) Gruver, Arianna Jensen, Mackenzie Goeken, Gabriel Goeken, Cassidy Goeken, Genevie Jensen, Blake Goeken, Natalya Jensen, Eliana Goeken, Lily Crawford, greatgrandchildren; Iris Gruver, Levi Gruver and Sterling Gruver, brothers; Richard (Judy) Baker and Steven (Celeste) Baker, brothers in law; James (Nancy) Goeken and William (Laurie) Goeken, sisters in law; Constance (Hugh) Randall and Kathryn Vincent, along with nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, stepfather Meril Miller, and her special aunts and uncles. Memorials may be directed to the First United Methodist Church in Blair.

~~~ obituary courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Public Library, Blair, Nebraska~~~

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