John was born July 9th, 1931, the youngest son of eleven children. After a courageous battle with cancer, John went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, October 5, 2008 at Concordia Hospital. He leaves behind his wife Evelyn of 52 years. John is survived by three sisters and one brother, all of Steinbach: Mary, Susan (Abe Bergen), Agatha Smith and Peter (Mary); two sisters-in-law: Helen (Abe) Goertzen and Anne (Dave) Goertzen, as well as by his in-laws: Susie Harder (whose husband John passed away only three and one half hours before John Goertzen), Peter (Mary) Harder, Nora (John) Wiebe as well as many nieces and nephews. John was predeceased by three brothers: Jacob, Abe and Dave and three sisters: Helen, Tina and Elizabeth. John worked at Coldstream for 32 years until his retirement. His hobbies were making furniture and scroll-saw woodworking. John and Evelyn enjoyed dancing, travelling, joking around and shooting pool in their basement. Country and Western Music was also a big part of their life. The funeral service will be held Thursday, October 9 at 2:00 p.m. at Birchwood Funeral Chapel, 150 Penfeld Dr, Steinbach with interment at Heritage Cemetery. God saw you getting tired, A cure was not to be. He wrapped you in His loving arms And whispered, “Come with Me.” You suffered much in silence, Your spirit did not bend. You faced your pain with courage Until the very end. You tried so hard to stay with us, Your fight was all in vain. God took you in His loving arms And freed you from your pain. A golden heart stopped beating, Two gentle hands at rest. God broke our hearts to prove to us He only takes the best.