Tim Goeckner

Tim was born in Effingham, IL, in June 1986, to Jean Cornell and Roch Goeckner. He died in the mountains doing what he loved in September 2025.
Growing up, Tim loved camping, staying active, playing croquet and creating chaos with his brother Phil. He graduated from Teutopolis High School and SIU - Carbondale, where he majored in Mining Engineering and enjoyed playing rugby.
Tim found his calling in nature. He could often be found rock climbing, ultra running, long-distance hiking, or snowboarding. He was an avid traveler who liked to explore the local culture, and the roads less traveled. Tim was not afraid of a solo adventure, but found great meaning in sharing his many endeavors with his brother, Phil. His through-hike of the PCT introduced him to his lifelong friend, Deerhunter, who was his travel companion for several long trail hikes. Tim enjoyed the quiet home life as well, including many board games, puzzles, and sharing stories about life with his younger brother, Carson.
Tim met the love of his life, Sara, in 2020. They used their early days together to build a foundation of all things nature. They loved spending time together in their garden, discussing books, and going on walks around the neighborhood. In 2024, they welcomed their greatest joy, their daughter, Gwen. Tim was an amazing father who was looking forward to sharing his many hobbies with Gwen and continuing the foundation of adventure and travel that he and Sara had created.
He will always be remembered for his passion to live his life to the fullest, his honesty, and his love of nature.
Tim is survived by his loving wife, Sara, and daughter, Gwen. His mother, Jean (Rick) Cornell, his brothers, Phil (Mary) and Carson, and his nieces (Theia, Addie, Imogen)
There will be a celebration of life for Tim on Sunday October 12th from 1-5 at the train depot in downtown Issaquah, and another celebration at a later date in his hometown of Teutopolis, IL.
"It's better to have a life well-lived than to just live a life!"
In lieu of flowers, donations to PCT Association or to Sara: https://give.pcta.org/give/298234/#!/donation/checkout
https://gofund.me/7647620d7