George Bernard Goyke

George Bernard Goyke, only age 60, of Rib Mountain, Wisconsin, succumbed to stomach cancer on Friday, August 18, 2023.

 

George was born to Bernard and Catherine Goyke in Oshkosh, Wisconsin on July 15, 1963. He attended Oshkosh Lourdes High School which gave him the jump start to succeed at the University of Wisconsin Madison, earning a double major in journalism and political science in 1985. He proceeded right to law school, again at the UW, and was offered immediate employment in Wausau, Wisconsin upon graduation in 1988, where he learned the practice of law involving financial problems, including taxes and bankruptcy.

 

On a cruise with a friend in 1998 leaving from New Orleans, he was seated at a table of 10 with Sharyl Boehmer. After seven forced dates, they began dating in earnest even though she lived 5 hours away in Iowa. They were married on October 9, 1999, on the Riverboat Julia Belle Swain. Having met on the Mississippi, they married on the Mississippi, and every time they crossed the river thereafter, they kissed over the Mississippi. Their two children arrived shortly thereafter, with Lucas born in 2001 and Julia (get the connection?) in 2002. Lucas brought great joy by bringing the first granddaughter, Ahsoka, into the family in 2022.

 

George has been a lifelong Badger fan with season football tickets since Freshman year. Even earlier than that, he enjoyed Packer games with his aunt Buzz since he was eight years old. He was a fanatical political enthusiast, working on the campaigns of many candidates since he was eight years old as well. He learned to curl in 1992, was elected Wausau Curling Club Secretary in 1994, and was recently elected to his 30th term as club Secretary. Curling was an overriding theme to his life, where though he enjoyed the games thoroughly and taught each of his family members to curl, he enjoyed cooking gourmet meals and socializing even more. He was previously a Big Brother, a Wausau Noon Optimist, and a member of the Sierra Club. He also enjoyed reading, chess, and tropical vacations with the family.

 

Still carrying his memory are his wife, Sharyl; kids, Lucas and Julia; and granddaughter, Ahsoka; mother, Cathy of Oshkosh; brothers, Andy (Sally) of Ashland and David (Vicki) of Waupaca; 54 nieces and nephews from both sides of the family; and an ever-growing number of grand-nieces and grand-nephews. His father, Ben, also succumbed to cancer several years ago.

 

In lieu of flowers, donations in George’s memory may be made to the Wausau Curling Club or to Delta Upsilon Fraternity of Wisconsin Foundation.