Doris Jane (VanRy) Goebel was called to heaven on April 16, 2016 to join her beloved husband, Harold, who awaited her arrival for 48 years.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 7 at St. John's Lutheran Church, Mendota with Rev. Janet Lepp officiating. Burial will be at Restland Cemetery. There will be no visitation.

Doris was born March 9, 1917 in Lansing Mich. to Frank James VanRy and Hattie Mary Elizabeth Anderson VanRy. She married Harold B. A. Goebel of Mendota on Sept. 24, 1939. He preceded her in death in March 1968.

Survivors include three sons, Hal (Pat) Goebel, Jim (Helen) Goebel and Chris (Marggie) Goebel; six grandchildren, Todd and Matt, Peter and Amanda, Brian and Sarah; and 17 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her father when she was 22 months old; her mother three years later; her brothers, Carl and Gale; her stepfather, James Long; and her Aunt Minnie and Uncle Henry Johnson who raised her after her mother's death until she was 15.

Doris and Harold spent their entire married life in Mendota where they were involved in many community activities. She was instrumental in establishing the Cub Scout program in Mendota and served as a den mother. She was active in the Mendota Community Hospital Auxiliary and served a term as its president and was involved in the furnishing and decorating of the Mendota Lutheran Home when it opened at the old Harris Hospital. She was employed by radio station WGLC when it was first established, hosted the "What's Cooking" program and later served as station manager. Her program sign off was, "Life's not always what you want, but it's all you got - so stick a daisy in your hat and be happy!" This statement pretty closely mirrored her approach to life.

Doris moved to Hawaii in 1971 and began to travel extensively, circumnavigating the globe twice and journeying to a number of "off-the beaten-track" locales - usually via working freighter ships, which always sent her family to their atlases to find out where she was going or where she had been. She moved back to the Mainland and resided briefly in Batavia before permanently moving to Manitowoc, Wis.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be directed to St. John's Lutheran Church or the Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation, 110 East 42nd St., Floor 16, New York, NY 10164-4504.