Steven Goetsch I

I learned of Steve´s death through Ira, his father´s obituary. I met Steve when he came to a Dr appt with his dad. He was so pleasant to talk with and very obviously raised to be a gentleman. I´m saddened at his passing especially since he passed before his parents. My heart is broken for your family and I hope you find peace in knowing you will be together again. God bless.

The world has lost a wonderful man, but Heaven has gained him! My mother´s fiancé Steven Goetsch has gone home to the Lord. We will be having a celebration of his life on April 30th at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Schaumburg. Visitation is at 2pm, Funeral is at 2:30. Private internment to follow.

Susan I am so sorry for your loss. Keeping you in my prayers

My husband Michael and I will be forever grateful for the 4 years our son Elijah had with Steve.  From 1st through 4th grade Steve was one of Eli´s greatest champions, protectors, teachers, translators, and guides.  He welcomed him outside the school each morning and handed him back to our family at the end of the day.  When Eli took Steve´s hand and walked into the building we knew he was in good hands.  Steve definitely helped Eli to grow into the confident and outgoing young man that he is today - which is no small feat for a little boy with autism who could barely talk when he met Steve in 1st grade.  

Steve was so genuinely proud of Eli every step of the way these last four years and we know this gave Eli the confidence to keep fighting and growing.  Steve was by his side for all of his accomplishments and also some pretty messy, tearful meltdowns.  He was always steady and calm, quietly holding space for whatever Eli was going through on any given day.  

Steve made the world outside of our family a safe and loving place for our son, a place that he learned to trust in despite how overwhelming the world often can be for him.

We hope that our message of gratitude to Steve reaches his family and friends at this very difficult time.  Thank you for sharing him with our family.  Eli is growing into a remarkable young man who is talkative, full of ideas and hopes, and who trusts in the world around him.  It has been such a gift this year to see Eli tumble out of the car in the morning like any other typical 4th grader, wave goodbye to us, and give just a quick knowing glance to Steve as he joins his classmates on the playground.  Their unspoken bond was so very special and the smile on Steve´s face as he quietly watched over our son in the mornings is a memory we will hold in our hearts.  Steve Goetsch´s impact on Eli´s life is undeniable and such a tremendous gift. Our hope is that Eli grows up to be a young man who carries Steve´s patience and kindness in his heart and gives it back to those who he encounters in his own life, keeping Steve´s memory alive in the world for decades to come.

May his memory be a blessing.

My husband Michael and I will be forever grateful for the 4 years our son Elijah had with Steve. From 1st through 4th grade Steve was one of Eli´s greatest champions, protectors, teachers, translators, and guides. He greeted him outside the school each morning and handed him back to our family at the end of the day. When Eli took Steve´s hand and walked into the building we knew he was in good hands. Steve definitely helped Eli to grow into the confident and outgoing young man that he is today - which is no small feat for a little boy with autism who could barely speak when he met Steve in 1st grade.

Steve was so genuinely proud of Eli every step of the way these last four years and we know this gave Eli the confidence to keep fighting and growing. Steve was by his side for all of his accomplishments and also some pretty messy, tearful meltdowns. He was always steady and calm, quietly holding space for whatever Eli was going through on any given day.

Steve made the world outside of our family a safe and loving place for our son, a place that he learned to trust in despite how overwhelming the world often was for him.

We hope that our message of gratitude to Steve reaches his family and friends at this very difficult time. Thank you for sharing him with our family. Eli is growing into a remarkable young man who is talkative, full of ideas and hopes, and who trusts in the world around him. Steve Goetsch´s impact on his life is undeniable and such a tremendous gift. Our hope is that Eli grows up to be a young man who carrys Steve´s kindness and compassion in his heart and gives it back those who he encounters in his own life, keeping Steve´s memory alive in the world for decades to come.

May his memory be a blessing.

Susan, this hurts my heart. That it happened on Easter helps a little. You know how much I loved him. And you too. We are on the hands of the one who makes love everything.

Steve was the most wonderful man. For the last 4 years he helped my son Elijah navigate the world in spite of his disability. Steve was loyal, kind, and loving to Eli every day. He knew exactly when to help, and when to let him find his own way. Eli is a stronger and more capable person because of his time with Steve. So many of Eli's accomplishments have Steve's fingerprints on them. More importantly, in many cases Steve was as excited about every accomplishment as we were.

We are so sorry for his family and close friends. I hope that we get a chance to tell them about more about how grateful we are for the time we had with him.