Jay Blair Goettler, 87, of Butler, Pennsylvania, passed away on Tuesday, October 9, 2018, peacefully in his sleep. Jay was born in Butler, Pennsylvania on April 10, 1931. He graduated from Butler High School and continued on to Saint Vincent College in Latrobe for a year.
Jay was married to Virginia Ann Goettler (Glace) on February 13, 1954; they were married 64 years. Jay worked at his father’s beer distributor, E.C. Goettler Distributing before joining the military and serving 4 years with the Seabees (Navy) stationed in Trinidad and Newfoundland. After returning from the service, Jay went back to work at his family’s business that was established by his grandfather, Fred H. Goettler in 1933.
He purchased the business from his parents (Eugene and Margaret) in 1972 and in 1976 he became President and CEO of Goettler Distributing, Inc He loved the beer business and was a role model for all his employees over the decades. Thanks to his guidance, Goettler Distributing, Inc. has continued on as a successful local business for 85 years.
Jay had yet another passion in life…HE WAS A SINGER. During all his time raising a family and growing a business, Jay was very involved with musical theater. Taking some time off, he was in the famous summer stock theater company, The Kenley Players, 1967 production of “Sweet Charity”, starring Janice Paige…he was bitten by the musical theater bug.
The years that followed were filled with his starring roles in musicals. In 1970 he won “Best New Male Performance” with the Youngstown Players. From there, the majority of Jay’s leading roles were with the Musical Theatre Guild of Butler.
His incredible voice was not only for the theater, Jay has sung for most churches in the area, either as cantor or wedding soloist. Jay even sang “The Star Spangled Banner” for the opening of a Pittsburgh Pirate’s baseball game. His voice will live on in numerous audio and video recordings, and also in his album “At Last”, which he recorded in 2004.
Jay is survived by his wife, Virginia Ann Goettler; his five children, Daniel Goettler and his wife Tracy, Kevin Goettler and his wife Ann, Larry Goettler, Karen Young and Timothy Goettler and his husband Scott Gabriel; his 12 grandchildren, Katie, Brittany, Patrick, Megan, Holly, Matthew, Emily, Grant, Cullen, Spencer, Rachel and Andrew; his 6 great grandchildren, Carter, Madilyn, Eliana, Evangeline, Daniel and Camden; his nieces and nephews; and the rest of his relatives and friends. Jay is preceded in death by his parents, Eugene C. Goettler and Margaret E. Goettler; as well as his brother, Dale Goettler. Visitation will be held at 2pm-4pm and 6pm-8pm on Friday, October 12, 2018 at Geibel Funeral Home in Butler.
The funeral service will be held at 10am on Saturday, October 13, 2018 at St. St. Fidelis Catholic Church, 125 Buttercup Rd. Butler, Pennsylvania 16001, Reverend Nicholas J. Argentieri will be officiating. Burial will follow the funeral at Calvary Cemetery.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Geibel Funeral Home, 201 East Cunningham St. Butler, PA 16001 In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to VNA Hospice, 115 Technology Drive, Butler, Pennsylvania 16001 or The Musical Theatre Guild of Butler, P.O. Box 2001, Butler, Pennsylvania 16003.
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