Larry Goehner

1944 - 2025

Larry Goehner was born on Dec. 14, 1944. He grew up in Dryden, WA where his mom and dad, had an orchard. From picking fruit and driving the tractor, Larry learned to have a can-do spirit and strong work ethic from his years on the farm that would be a part of his character for the rest of his life.

After High School Larry obtained his BA in psychology and a minor in music from Cascade College in Portland Or where he also played for two years on the basketball team. He then attended grad school at an American Baptist seminary just outside of Los Angeles. While studying for his degree he had the opportunity to travel to Hawaii to work as a youth minister at a church.

He also directed the choir where a young woman named Joy caught his eye. The two began dating and were married. They would soon move back to California and have their first child, Erik. Larry finished his master's degree and he and his pastor friend began looking for land in Arizona to build their dream of starting a camp for inner city youth.

Along the way, however, they met a family with a son with developmental disabilities. In visiting with them they heard the parent's concern about having a place for their son to live as he got older. Larry and his friend felt called to change their dream and start a non-profit for developmentally disabled adults. Over the next three years Rainbow Acres became a working ranch serving these folks. Larry and Joy also had their second son Allen during this time.

The couple later received a call to help start another non-profit in Goldendale, Washington called New Hope Farms. In 1986, Larry received a call to start a third program in Columbus Montana. This ministry became known as Special K Ranch. Larry would spend the rest of his career building up the ranch. Joy was by his side in the office as they worked to expand the organization.

In retirement, Larry enjoyed meeting with his prayer group in Columbus and participating at St James Lutheran church where he often still led the choir and even preached on occasion. He worked on a history of the ranch and enjoyed playing tennis with friends. Larry and Joy also enjoyed taking a winter trip to a warmer climate once a year in addition to visiting their children and grand- children in California and in Missoula.

Due to health issues, Larry and Joy moved to Missoula, MT in 2023 to be closer to their son Allen's family. They received care at the Village Senior Retirement home. Joy passed away on Memorial Day 2025. Five months after Joy died, on Oct. 31, 2025, Larry succumbed to complications from dementia. They had been married for 54 years.

During a week -long stay at the hospital last May, Larry looked at almost everyone who came into the room and said the most important thing they needed to know was, "...that God loved them, and not just them but the whole world". This sums up Larry's mission in life which was trying to share God's love.

Larry is survived by his sister Twyla Steinberg of Coeur d'Alene ID, son Allen and wife Molly Sasser-Goehner, their children Luke and Leo, of Missoula MT and son Erik, his wife Desta and their children Maya, Dryden and Piper of Thousand Oaks, CA.

(Donations in memory of Larry can be made to Special K Ranch, P.O. Box 479 Columbus, MT 59019. A memorial service time is still to be determined.)