Mary Rita Goetz

Mary Rita (Fleming) Goetz passed away peacefully on Thursday, December 17, 2020 at the Meadows at Shannondell in Audubon, PA. She was 88. Born in Garrett Hill, PA on February 14, 1932, she was daughter of the late Matthew J. and Anna (Kane) Fleming. She enjoyed her years at St. Thomas of Villanova school and graduated from West Catholic High School for Girls in 1949. Her first jobs included working as executive secretary for the trust officer at First Pennsylvania Company in Philadelphia and secretary to the vice president of Theodore Presser Music Company in Bryn Mawr. Mary met John E. Goetz, a US Marine, in Philadelphia, where he was stationed after the Korean War. They married in 1954 and lived in Upper Darby, PA. She taught ballroom dancing at various private schools along the Main Line, as well as Valley Forge Military Academy. In 1958, they moved to King of Prussia, PA with the first two of their four daughters, where they were founding members of the Mother of Divine Providence Church Parish School. Two more daughters arrived. Over the following years, as her husband’s job demanded more travel, Mary balanced raising four daughters and being there for her mother, Anna, with increasingly demanding jobs. She worked for Upper Merion School District and Certainteed Products, among others. Her most rewarding position was in General Electric’s Missile and Space Division where she had high security level clearance while working on the U.S. Defense Department’s MOL (Manned Orbiting Laboratory) Project on “the Hill.” Mary is remembered by her daughters as having an exceptional ability to make long lasting friendships everywhere she worked. In addition to dancing, she loved to paint and was a watercolor artist. She made sure the family enjoyed many family vacations, frequently to Ocean City, New Jersey. She loved her daughters and was very proud of her grandchildren. She treasured every moment with them. Besides being a busy mother, Mary Rita took great care of her mother as she got older, often visiting and helping her.. Surviving is her loving family including 4 daughters: Anne (John) Purnell, Barbara (Joe) Barks, Judy (Doug) Marshall and Carol (Karl) Bupp; 12 grandchildren: Greg and Joe Purnell; Lauren Purnell Mandeville; Andy, Charlie and Ed Barks; John, Brad and Will Marshall; Brendan, Anna and Sam Bupp; 7 great-grandchildren: Ellaina and Keeley Purnell; Asher, Elijah and Raffi Mandeville; Miles and Mari Barks; and many other loving family members. Funeral services and interment will be private.