Terresa “Terri” Lynn Goetsch, 70, passed away July 11, 2026.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at Memorial Services of Iowa (4208 N. Ankeny Blvd). Family will greet friends an hour prior to the service from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. at the funeral home. A private burial will follow the service.

Terri was born on April 21, 1956, in Marshalltown, IA, to Richard and Karen Kurth. She graduated from Marshalltown High School and attended both AIB Business College in Des Moines and Simpson College earning her bachelor’s degree. Terri made her career as an Accountant working at Ruan Corporation and Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines.

On May 14, 1977, she married Gary Goetsch in Marshalltown, IA and later had two sons, Cory and Colby. Family was at the center of Terri’s life. She rarely missed an opportunity to attend the activities and events her sons participated in, offering her encouragement and support every step of the way. In later years, one of her greatest joys was spending time with her granddaughter. She loved playing games, sharing laughs, attending shows at the Civic Center, and creating special memories together. The times she spent with her family brought her tremendous happiness and was among the things she treasured most.

In addition to time spent with family, Terri enjoyed volunteering, walking her beloved dog, Bailey, baking cookies for meals through the church, dancing, and attending church. She was a longtime member of Ankeny First United Methodist Church. She participated in walks to support Pancreatic Cancer, Alzheimer’s, mental health, and many other causes. She organized numerous blood drives and donating blood became very important to her over the years.

Terri believed in working hard, showing compassion to others, and finding ways to give back to her community. She was known for being a great listener and always kindhearted to others. Those values guided her life and left a lasting impact on everyone who knew her.

Terri is survived by her son, Cory (Joni) Goetsch, and their daughter, McKinley; her son, Colby Goetsch; her sister, Nikki (Tim) Harrison, and their son, Chase; her brother, Scott (Mary) Kurth, and his sons, Todd and Brian; and her nephews, Michael, Steven, and Alex Ervin.

Terri was preceded in death by her parents, Richard and Karen Kurth, her husband, Gary Goetsch, and her sister, Christine Kurth.

The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the Singles Again Group for their friendship and support; to the doctors, nurses, and staff at University of Iowa Health Care, Methodist Hospital, and Taylor House Hospice for their exceptional and compassionate care; and to the many family members, neighbors, and friends whose kindness, prayers, and support meant so much throughout Terri’s journey.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the missions that Terri supported, Ankeny First United Methodist Church to support their Community Meals at https://www.ankenyfirst.org/give or The National Alliance on Mental Illness - Iowa, NAMI-Iowa at https://namicentraliowa.org/donate/