James L. Goedert

James Lee Goedert (Jim) 77 of Kearney passed away Monday, June 2, 2025 at his home in Kearney. Graveside services will be held 11:00 a.m. Thursday, June 12, 2025 at Fort McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell, NE. Military honors will be provided by the North Platte Honor Guard in Conjunction with the Nebraska National Guard Honors Team. Jim was born October 12, 1947 in North Platte, NE to Dob and Eleanor (Sullentrop) Goedert. He attended grade school and high school in Wallace, Nebraska. Jim was drafted into the Army in 1968 and proudly served in the 1st Air Cavalry while in Vietnam. He was wounded by rocket fire and received the Purple Heart. During his recovery time at Fitzsimmons General Hospital in Aurora, Colorado, he had the opportunity to reconnect with his future wife, Marilyn Mae Sommers. Jim received an undergraduate and Master’s degrees in Secondary Education at Kearney State College. After which he taught part time in the Industrial Education Department at Kearney State/University of Nebraska at Kearney for parts of 20 years. Jim was one of the founding fathers of the Kearney Slow Pitch Softball Association and was the Executive Director for 22 years. During his time as director, he was responsible for facilitating and bringing some of the largest slow pitch softball tournaments in the state to Kearney. He married his high school friend, Marilyn Mae Sommers, or “Red” as Jim referred to her as (he nicknamed her this because of her auburn hair) on March 1, 2018. Jim enjoyed woodworking, barbed wire hunting, and traveling with Red. Most of all he enjoyed time spent with his family. Left to cherish his memory are his sons, Jimmy Goedert and wife Jill of Kearney, Jeff Goedert and fiancée Shelli Davis of Norfolk, Nebraska, Jon Goedert and wife Melissa of Denver, Colorado; Grandchildren, Caitlyn Goedert, Taylor Brown, Pierce Wright and Parker Wright; and great granddaughter Waverly Wright, as well as many extended family and friends. Jim was preceded in death by his wife Marilyn and his parents Dob and Eleanor. Memorials are suggested to the Marilyn Sommers-Goedert Memorial Scholarship c/o O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home, 4115 Ave N Kearney, NE 688. Condolences may be shared online at www.osrfh.com. Services are entrusted to O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral and Cremation Services.

James L. Goedert

October 12, 1947 - June 2, 2025