Courtney Wilson Goforth
Courtney Wilson Goforth, 91, Stanberry, MO passed away Saturday, November 26, 2022, at a Stanberry, MO nursing home.
Courtney was born on July 5th, 1931, in Guilford, MO at the family home. His parents were Charles Emmett Goforth and Lula Kathleen (Wilson) Goforth.
Courtney was the oldest of 5 children, followed by 3 sisters, Wylla Dee, Marilyn, Carol Charlene and a brother, Fay Denzil Goforth.
Courtney was Married on Dec 20, 1959, to Mariam Andrea Houseworth in the chapel on the campus at Northwest Missouri State College. Together they had 2 children, Todd Wilson and Toni Leigh.
Courtney graduated from Guilford High School, and then joined the United States Air Force. After 4 years in the USAF, he went to Northwest Missouri State College and received his BS in Industrial Arts and Sociology. He started his first Teaching job at Stanberry, MO as an Industrial Arts Teacher. At that time, Stanberry did not have a counselor, so Courtney offered to get the needed training if the school board agreed that one was needed. They offered to hire him as a counselor if he would get his Masters, which he did at MU in Columbia, MO. He retired after 31 years at the Stanberry RII school district, the bulk of those years as their counselor.
He was a member of the Stanberry United Methodist Church, the Masonic lodge, the Elks lodge and the Northwest Missouri Counselors Association. He served as a board member for the Stanberry City Council, Township Board Clerk. He was a member of the Missouri State Teachers Association, the Missouri Retired Teachers Association.
He was a daily reader of multiple local newspapers and magazines. He enjoyed traveling and eventually reached his goal of visiting all 50 states. In 2017 he traveled to Washington DC with his son Todd as a part of the Honor Flight as a Korean War Veteran.
He especially enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and great grandchildren and visiting with the neighborhood kids who would stop by for their daily pudding cup(s) that he and Mariam would gladly hand out as a snack.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Marilyn Phillippe; brother, Fay Denzil Goforth; sisters-in-law, Sue Houseworth-Agnitsch and Mauretta Houseworth; and three brothers-in-law, J.R. Baker, Larry Wiederholt, and Charles Houseworth.
Courtney is survived by his wife, Mariam Goforth of the home; son, Todd Wilson Goforth (Christine VanGundy) Parkville, MO; daughter, Toni Leigh Goforth McLaughlin, Smithville, MO; five grandchildren, Collin Jeffery Goforth (Hillary), Alex Mitchell Goforth (Abby), Kyle Anders McLaughlin (Maddie), Grant William (Nicole) McLaughlin, Grace Andrea McLaughlin and their father, Kent McLaughlin; three great grandchildren, Grady Courtney Goforth, Lilith Azalia McKinney, and Koavu Rainer McKinney; sisters, Wylla Dee Baker, and Carol Charlene Wiederholt; brothers-in-law, Loren Phillippe, Jim (Tammy) Houseworth, Andy (Mary) Houseworth, Tom (Barb) Houseworth, and Richard Agnitsch; sisters-in-law, Mary Jo Goforth, Mary (Mike) Davis, Carolyn Houseworth and Elizabeth (Ivan) Walden and many nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, December 3 at the United Methodist Church, Stanberry, MO under the direction of Roberson Funeral Home, Stanberry, MO. Burial with Military Rites will follow in High Ridge Cemetery, Stanberry, MO. The family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Friday at the church and from 10:00-11:00 a.m. Saturday at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Courtney and Mariam Goforth Scholarship Fund to benefit Stanberry R-II Students, Stanberry Senior Center, and/or Gentry County Library in care of Roberson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 153, Stanberry, MO 64489. Online condolences may be left at www.robersonfuneralhome.com