Obituary - Roy H. Goetschel, Jr.

Roy Hartzell Goetschel Jr.

Dr. Roy Hartzell Goetschel Jr., was born April 19, 1930, and died Thursday, Nov. 24, 2011, at 81 years of age.

He was the first child born to his parents, Roy Hartzell Goetschel Sr. and Elizabeth Wilhelmina Johanna Gaude Goetschel. Roy was tenderly cared for in his last days by the Good Samaritan of Moscow skilled nursing staff and was surrounded by his family and friends at the time of his death.

Roy was born in Chicago and lived there with his family during his early years. As a young man he attended Northwestern University and DePaul University. He was greatly interested in both music and mathematics, he was a skilled musician and vocalist as well as an outstanding mathematician. He was well acquainted with professional individuals in both fields who greatly influenced his early education: Alfred Bartel, Dr. Guido Weiss, Dr. Wolfgang Wasow, and his beloved uncle and best friend, George Gaude. Roy earned a Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin in 1966 and taught at Sonoma State University in California before accepting a professorship in mathematics at the University of Idaho in Moscow in 1969.

In 1971 he met and later married a University of Idaho graduate assistant in English. His wife shared Roy's passion for research and collaborated on Roy's research in mathematics of fuzzy darts and fuzzy dart representations of fuzzy numbers. Roy also researched the introduction of the topic of fuzzy hypergraphs, including the methodology and applications, especially Hebbian structures, to the literature through papers published in Fuzzy Sets and Systems. His work in the conceptualization and development of the basis of a fuzzy matroid theory which, along with his earlier research, was recognized internationally by mathematicians around the world.

Roy was a member, by invitation, of the New York Academy of Sciences. His biography is included in several "Who's Who" listings, including "Who's Who in the World" and "Who's Who in Science."

Roy and his wife continued to reside in Moscow following their retirements and have been active participants in many community activities.

Roy is survived by his wife; and his younger brother Charles.

At his request, Roy was laid to rest privately at the Moscow Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to the Gritman Medical Center Foundation, 700 S. Main St., Moscow, ID 83843.

Arrangements were entrusted to Short's Funeral Chapel of Moscow and online condolences may be sent to www.shortsfuneralchapel.net.

Lewiston Tribune, November 30, 2011, p. 7C
Transcribed by Jill Leonard Nock