Helen J. Goswitz, 88, of Manitowoc, passed away following a long illness on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021, at the Sharon S. Richardson Community Hospice in Sheboygan Falls.
Helen was born May 20, 1932, in Shawano to the late Charles and Margaret Wood. She spent her youth growing up on a farm in Shawano and two years near Washington, D.C., during World War II. After graduating high school in Shawano, Helen attended Marquette University where she earned a degree in zoology along with her teaching certification. She taught high school biology at St. Joseph’s Academy in Green Bay in the 1950s. While at Marquette, Helen met her ex-husband and father of her children, Dr. John T. Goswitz, of Manitowoc. Helen spent the early 1960s living in Germany as an Army doctor’s wife while raising her three children. After a short stay in Mankato, Minnesota, she moved to Manitowoc in 1966 where she resided until her death. In the 1970s, Helen was one of the first volunteers to sponsor a Laotian refugee family in Manitowoc County. She also began a multi-decade career working in the Manitowoc Public School District as a substitute teacher and library aide.
Helen loved corresponding with a lifetime of friends and relatives the world over. In the 2000s, she researched and compiled a family tree going back to the Revolutionary War that will be donated to the Shawano Historical Society. While compiling the family tree, Helen was so intrigued to learn about her cousin Orle Bergner, a World War II silver star decorated Marine, that she researched and wrote a second volume exclusively about him. She also loved reading, gardening, travel, playing cards, sewing and was a lifelong Catholic.
Helen carried herself with grace and dignity and met several other health issues with great resolve and perseverance. She will be missed by her friends and family.
Survivors include Helen’s three children, Mark Goswitz, Sheboygan, Anne Douglas, Austin, Texas, and Paul Goswitz, Manitowoc; two granddaughters, Sandra Douglas, Austin, Texas, and Nicole Douglas, San Antonio, Texas; sister, Genevieve DeWilde, Green Bay; and niece, Denise Fonferek, Sobieski.
Memorial services will be held at noon on Wednesday, July 7, 2021, St. Francis of Assisi on Waldo, 1121 N. 14th St., Manitowoc. Cremation has taken place at the Harrigan Parkside Crematory and Chapel with burial of Helen’s cremated remains at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Shawano. The family will greet relatives and friends at St. Francis of Assisi on Waldo from 11 a.m. until the time of the memorial service at noon.
To submit online condolences to the family, please visit www.harriganparksidefuneralhome.com.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate memorials in Helen’s name to be sent to Roncalli High School, 2000 Mirro Drive, Manitowoc, WI 54220.
The Harrigan Parkside Funeral Home and Crematory, Manitowoc, is assisting the family with funeral arrangements.
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