Thomas James Goyette, 74

Thomas James Goyette, 74, of Cole Camp, died Tuesday, April 29, 2014, at Bothwell Regional Health Center, Sedalia.  He was born on May 27, 1939, at Harbor Beach, Michigan, a son of Walter and Lela (Farson) Goyette.

He attended Her Lady of the Lake Huron School, where he graduated in 1957.  He met Emma Forbing in 1962, and they were united in marriage on May 11, 1963.  This union was blessed with eight children: Thomas (Rocky), Frederick (Ricky), Walter (Wally), Cathy, Jesse, Joey, Sheila, and Heather.  They made their home in Michigan until the summer of 1982.

Tom worked for a construction company that built waste water treatment facilities.  Keeping the family n the move, living in Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri.  In the mid 1980s, when his wife Emma did babysitting, Darlenia Bishop Poterbin came into their life and quickly became a part of the family and later her brother Kyle (Tommy) did the same.  Originally moving to Sedalia in 1990, Tom retired in 1993 and he and his wife moved to Texas.  But they soon returned to Sedalia in 1999 to be closer to their children.  In 2000, they moved to Hughesville, and called that home until 2013, when they moved to Cole Camp.

He enjoyed spending time with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.  One of his favorite things to do was to pass out candy to the kids.  He also enjoyed the great outdoors, hunting, fishing, camping, and just sitting and enjoying the breeze.  He was an avid genealogist, tracing his roots back many, many generations.  He loved playing games on his computer and telling stories of “olden days” to all the grandchildren.

He is survived by: his wife, Emma Goyette of the home;three daughters, Cathy Weaver and her husband Harold of Mangum, Oregon, Sheila Bryan and her husband Daniel of LaMonte, and Heather Laster and her husband Ivan, Jr. of Sedalia; three sons, Thomas (Rocky) Goyette of Cole Camp, Jesse Goyette and his wife Gwyneth of San Diego, California, Joey Goyette of Warsaw, and Frederick (Ricky) Goyette and Walter Goyette;
legal guardian of Darlenia Poterbein and her husband Nathan of Bolivar and Kyle (Tommy) Bishop and his wife Jennifer of Sedalia; two sisters, Joan Smith and her husband Paul of the State of Michigan and Evelynn Tenbusch and her husband Jim of the State of Texas;
two brothers, Richard Goyette of Detroit, Michigan, and Gerald (Jerry) Goyette of the State of Michigan; thirty-one grandchildren, Daniel, Justin, Sarah, Jacobe, Tori, Thomas, Brian, Michael, Jesse, Nicholas, Katelyn, Rick James (RJ), Delaney, Lexi, Aricka, Andrea, Savannah, Hal, Amanda, Jean E., Rebecca, Justin, Kara, Frederick Jr., Tiffany, Beth, Darlene, Josh, Cheyenne, Darlenia, and Tommy; and sixteen great-grandchildren, Annabelle, Aryanna, O'Ryan, Axton, Zoey, Kyle, Aleah, Alissa, Cheyenne, Sierra, Sophie, Bailey, Aiden, Aiden, Braddock, and Addison.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Lela Farson, and two sons, Frederick (Ricky) Goyette and Walter Goyette.

Graveside services will be at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday at Calvary Cemetery, Sedalia.

The family will receive friends from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. on Saturday at the Fox Funeral Home in Cole Camp.

The family suggests memorial contributions be given to the family in care of the Fox Funeral Home, Cole Camp.