Charlotte E. Goossens, 96, an Oak Park resident since 1949, died on March 20, 2018. Born in Naugard, Germany in 1921 to Ida (Wille) Koepke and Max Koepke, the family immigrated to the United States in 1923 and settled in Kewanee, Illinois, where she married her late husband, Frank J. Goossens, in 1942. When he volunteered for the U.S. Army Air Force during WWII and spent three years overseas as a meteorologist/cryptographer, Charlotte became a volunteer Red Cross nurse’s aide working in two Kewanee hospitals in the evenings and weekends after working at her office job during the day.
In Oak Park, she was very active in her church, Christ Lutheran, holding offices for many years with Dorcas Ladies’ Aid and Altar Guild. She also volunteered in the community and was a charter member of Oak Park Township’s Meals-at-Home Program, delivering meals to shut-ins for 22 years. For over 17 years, she and her husband volunteered in two area nursing homes where they organized parties at each major holiday.
Charlotte Goossens is survived by her son, Gregg (Margaret) Goossens; her granddaughter, Amanda; and a number of nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. She was preceded in death by her husband; her daughters, Elizabeth and Janet; and her siblings, Elsie Kudrna, Kurt Koepke, and her younger brother, Ensign Ernest Koepke, a Navy pilot, who was killed in action over Japan during WWII.
Funeral services were held on March 27 at Christ Lutheran Church, with interment at Queen of Heaven Cemetery.
Arrangements were handled by Linhart Funeral Home.
