Faye Louise Goeken, 102, of Colby, died Friday, March 7, 2025. She was the fifth child of Chester Carl and Pearl Isabelle (Born) Best, born on the family farm in Graham County, KS on August 7, 1922, her mother’s birthday. Faye attended first through eighth grade at the one room Union School in Graham County. She was a member of the Gradan 4-H Club. Then the family moved to Lenora, KS, where she attended Lenora High School, graduating in 1941.
Faye then received an emergency training certificate and taught school at the Gradan Rural School in Graham County in 1942. She taught for two years, earning a salary of $100. In the Fall of 1944, she attended Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS, majoring in Home Economics. She lived in the Sig Alpha Fraternity House since the boys were at war and then in Waltheim Hall. In November of 1946, Faye met her future husband, Norman “Bud” Goeken, at K-State and they became engaged in April of 1947.
On August 17, 1947, Bud and Faye were married at the Lenora Methodist Church, in Lenora, KS. They started out on their honeymoon to Colorado to visit Faye’s sister, Ellen, in Colorado Springs and Bud’s brother Abe in Brush, Colorado, but the car broke down in Colby, KS, where they stayed for several days.
The couple started their married life in Norton, KS, where Bud worked for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. He was later transferred to Colby, where Norma Faye was born. He was laid off from the phone company and they moved to Atwood, where they leased a service station and lived there until they moved back to Colby. He again worked for Southwestern Bell as a lineman and installer.
Faye worked for the Thomas County Treasurer’s Office part-time and then worked as the Deputy of Register of Deeds until 1972. She was active in the Methodist Church and served as President of the United Methodist Women and received the Special Mission Recognition and Women of the Year awards.
Faye and Bud spent many winters in their motor home traveling and then at a retirement park in Pharr, TX. She loved to play bridge, belonging to several bridge groups, as well as sewing and quilting.
Faye was preceded in death by her parents; one sister; two brothers; an infant daughter Jean Ann and her husband of 67 years, Norman “Bud” Goeken.
She is survived by her daughter, Norma (Neil) Johnson; grandson Nickolas (Lynne) Johnson and four great-grandchildren, Kendall, Taylor, Ian and Ellie. She was a loving mother, grandma and great-grandma.
Visitation is 2-4:00 p.m. Sunday, March 16, 2025, at Baalmann Mortuary, Colby. Funeral Service is 10:00 a.m. Monday, March 17, 2025, at the Colby United Methodist Church, with burial in Beulah Cemetery, Colby. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Colby United Methodist Church and sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701
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