Sue Goehring

Sue Goehring, Wimbledon, ND, died on December 29, 2019, from complications of Inclusion Body Myositis, a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy. Her incredible faith, courage, wisdom, positivity, and grace in the midst of battling her challenging disease was an example to all who knew her.

Rebecca Susan (Sue) Miller was born on December 13, 1950, in Chicago, IL, to Rev. Cecil and Janet Miller, the second of five children. Because of her parents’ lives in ministry in the United Methodist Church, she and her brothers spent their childhood in several places in South Dakota and North Dakota—White, Arlington, Miller, Huron, and finally Grand Forks, ND. She found a love for all sports in those small towns—often playing with the boys and schooling them in basketball and baseball. She was on the track team and came close to winning the state championship for softball throw in both South Dakota and North Dakota.

She graduated from Red River High School in Grand Forks, ND, in 1969. She attended Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, SD, and then transferred to the University of North Dakota to finish her degrees in Elementary Education and Physical Education. She graduated in 1973. She helped blaze the trail for women in athletics and was a member of the first women’s basketball team at the University of North Dakota. She ran the intramural program at UND to help pay for her tuition, and loved playing fast-pitch softball and coaching her ponytail softball girls in the summer. She spent time working at Storm Mountain Center in Rapid City, SD, and survived the flood of 1972. Her first teaching job was in Grand Forks, ND.

She met Al Goehring on a trip to visit college friends in Mitchell, SD. After several years of dating, they were married at Wesley United Methodist Church in Grand Forks on August 24, 1975. They made their first homes in Ulen, MN, and then North St. Paul, MN, where Al worked for Cenex. She worked in the school system teaching adult education, especially loving her work with young mothers. They moved to Montpelier, ND, where she taught and coached. They welcomed Molly to the family in December of 1977. They moved to Edgeley, ND, where Al managed the Cenex station, and she taught a multi-aged classroom in Nortonville, ND. They welcomed Katie to the family in October of 1981.

Sue loved playing and pitching fast-pitch softball and considered her teammates and coaches to be her family. The girls grew up at the softball diamond with their mom.

In 1982, Al was transferred and the family moved to Wimbledon, ND. Sue started subbing at the school in the 6th grade, and later got a job teaching 5th grade full time at Wimbledon-Courtenay Public School. She enjoyed coaching basketball and track and loved her “kids.” Building lasting relationships and trust with her students was very important to her, and her love of learning and sportsmanship spilled over to them. Her students enjoyed learning about the space program, learned collaboration by building models, and shot off model rockets each spring. She later transitioned to administration where she team taught 5th grade and was the full time elementary principal. After five summers of intensive study, she earned her Master’s Degree in Elementary Administration with an emphasis in Counseling in 1991. She loved coming to school each day to be with all of her students and colleagues. Her students looked forward to Reading month each year as they got to challenge Mrs. Goehring to do some pretty silly things—from riding a horse down the middle of main street a high noon to kissing a pig. She also enjoyed being an adjunct professor at Jamestown College, teaching science methods courses at night. She was diagnosed with Inclusion Body Myositis in 2005. She continued her work as a teaching principal until her early retirement because of her disease in May of 2007.

She was a member of St. John’s United Methodist Church in Wimbledon, and was active in the United Methodist Women at the local, district, and conference levels, leading and teaching several Dakotas Conference women’s mission focuses over the years.

She loved her family fiercely, was a voracious reader, had a very dry sense of humor, enjoyed spending time with her coffee friends, and loved going to the fine arts and sporting events of her grandchildren. She was a friend and mentor to many. Her wisdom and generosity were unmatched. She loved watching sports of all kinds, especially the Chicago Cubs and Minnesota Twins baseball, Minnesota Vikings football, Sioux hockey, University of North Dakota basketball and football, NCAA women’s fast-pitch, and NCAA March Madness basketball. Time with her children and grandchildren was treasured, and a highlight of every summer was the family’s annual trip to the Twin Cities for a Twins game. In their retirement, she and Al made beautiful memories on their “road trips” to visit friends and family across the country in the winter. Al’s devoted caregiving and unconditional love allowed her to remain at home until her death.

She is survived by her husband and loving caregiver of nearly 45 years, Al Goehring; their daughters, Molly (Brian) Bestge (Lake Park, MN) and Katie (Kurtis) Karn (West Fargo, ND); their grandchildren, Sam and Mara Bestge and Kingston and Kendrix Karn; her brothers, David Miller (Regina, Saskatchewan)and Pete Miller (Cincinnati, OH); her sister-in-law, Nancy Goehring (Jamestown, ND); as well as her nieces, nephews, extended family, and loving friends. She loved them all “tenderly.”

She was preceded in death by her parents, Rev. Cecil and Rev. Janet Miller, her brother Marc Miller, and brother and sister-in-law, Art and Deb Miller.

A time of Remembrance and Sharing will be held on Friday, January 3 at 7pm at First United Methodist Church, Jamestown, ND. The Celebration of Life service will be held Saturday, January 4 at 11am at St. John’s United Methodist Church in Wimbledon, ND.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Dakotas United Methodist Camping, or St. John’s United Methodist Church in her honor.

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