Thomas A. Goetz

Thomas A. Goetz, 77, of 1916 Venetian Way, Owensboro, died Monday, March 24, 2003 at Owensboro Mercy Health System. His first wife, Dolores Dee Goetz, preceded him in death.

The Covington native was Chief Air Traffic Controller at Owensboro Regional Airport from the towers opening in 1968, until 1993, a member of St. Stephen Cathedral, a Navy veteran of WW II, a graduate of Brescia College, and had been United Way General Chairman, and president of Ayer flying Club.
Mr. Goats was a ship radio operator during World War II, having served on Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Having gone through on the job training with what was then the Civil Aeronautics Administration, he spent several years at the Greater Cincinnati Airport and then as a civilian traffic representative for the Federal Aviation Administration at Fort Campbell for the 101st Airborne Division. He came to Owensboro and opened the air traffic control tower in 1968. He retired from the FAA in 1981. Mr. Goetz then formed a private company that provided controllers for the Owensboro tower. In 1985 he dissolved his company and became an employee of the airport board. He was the chief controller until 1993.

Mr. Goetz had varied interests in which he participated actively. He enjoyed golf, photography, computers, and electric trains. He was instrumental in organizing the band at Owensboro Catholic High School, chaired the Girl Scouts Golf Tournament, and was a former member of the board of directors of Hospice. He was actively invloved in the air shows held in Owensboro and was responsible for the appearance of the Navy's Blue Angels.

Survivors include his wife, Carmen Rivas Goetz; two sons, Danny Goetz of San Antonio and Paul Goetz of Evansville; two daughters, Donna Goetz of Owensboro and Theresa Rowe of Calhoun; a stepdaughter, Carmen Dheming Heitz of Munster, IN; 15 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.

Services are at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Stephen Cathedral. Visitation is from 2 until 8 p.m. Thursday and from 8:30 until 9:30 a.m. Friday at Glenn Funeral Home, where prayers will be said at 6 p.m. Thursday.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the Hospice Association.

Online messages of condolence may be placed at www.glennfuneralhome.com.