Beth Goedecke

Fredda Beth Goedecke, age 72, passed away on Sunday, December 27, 2015 in Decatur, Texas. Funeral services will be Thursday, December 31 at St. Johns Catholic Church in Bridgeport at 11:00 am. Visitation will be Wednesday, December 30 in the chapel at Jones Family Funeral Home in Bridgeport from 6-8 pm. Beth was born in Meridian, Bosque County, Texas on December 29, 1942 to James Fred Burnett and Hazel Inita McConathy. She was the granddaughter of William Oscar McConathy and Serena Allie Offutt and James Wilburn Burnett and Alma Thetus McNeeley, who were all born and raised in Hill County, Texas near Hillsboro and Whitney, Texas. Her father, Fred, died in an automobile accident in Fort Worth, Texas on March 8, 1949, when Beth was just five years of age. A short time after his death, Hazel and Beth went to Deming, New Mexico to visit Hazel’s brother, Boyce McConathy. While visiting in Deming, Hazel met a young man named Henry Littleton Graves, and on January 14, 1950, they married in Deming and made their home there. Two brothers were born to this union, James Graves and Randy Graves. They lived in the town itself for many years, but eventually moved to the Graves farm where Littleton and Hazel farmed for many years. Beth attended Deming Public Schools and was active in many activities. Following Beth’s first marriage, she lived in Deming, Las Cruces and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Three of her three children, Bryant, Mark and Fred were born in New Mexico. She eventually moved to Texas and her fourth son, Rick, was born in Fort Worth. Beth married the love of her life, Charles Goedecke, on April 27, 1990 in Durant, Oklahoma. They lived in Taft, California and Beaumont, Texas, where Charlie worked for the prison system. After retiring they moved to their current home in Paradise, Texas. Beth was a member of the St. Johns Catholic Church in Bridgeport. She loved to paint and has painted many beautiful pictures though the years. She also loved her family very much, and recently she had painted several beautiful pictures of her grandchildren when they were young. Beth was preceded in death by her parents Fred Burnett, and Hazel and Littleton Graves, and a granddaughter Abigail Bindi Goedecke. She is survived by her husband Charles Goedecke; sons Bryant Underwood of Bridgeport, Texas, Mark Goedecke of Deming, New Mexico, Fred Gustke of Runaway Bay, Texas, and Rick Dodrill of Erie, Pennsylvania; two brothers, James Graves of Deming, New Mexico and Randy Graves of Chico, Texas. She is also survived by 12 grandchildren.