Visionary Business Man, Community Developer in Beatrice, Passes Away

BEATRICE – A long-time business owner whose idea for a major residential area transformed a large part of east Beatrice, has died.

Louis Goossen passed away at age 100 at Beatrice Community Hospital, Tuesday.  Born in 1919 in Beatrice, he was a 1936 graduate of Beatrice High School. Goossen served in the Civilian Public Service as a smoke jumper for three years in Montana.

He owned Goossen Electric and spent the majority of his career expanding the dairy industry in Southeast Nebraska and Northeast Kansas. The business expanded to manufacturing equipment used in the dairy industry, construction projects, and lawn care equipment.

Former Beatrice City Councilman and Board of Public Works Chairman, Don Vetrovsky worked for Goossen, for thirteen years.
"I just saw an amazing man with a mind that was always thinking forward. I always thought that he was five years ahead of his time in his ideas....what a community-minded man he was".

Goossen developed the Flowing Springs and the Covered Bridge Heights residential areas of east Beatrice. 

Vetrovsky said, "it was a vision he had for a number of years. His daughter Patty worked in Indiana,.. Goshen...and worked on a similar living site, and he thought something like that would fit here in Beatrice. That was a vision of his...and he fulfilled it".

Griffiths-Hovendick Chapel of Beatrice said Goossen was a lifelong active member of First Mennonite Church, serving on many boards including 35 years on the Beatrice Community Hospital board.  He was a former president of the Beatrice Chamber of Commerce, served on the Bethel College Board and the Homestead Village board, and was a member of the Mennonite Industry and Businessmen’s Association.

Goossen was inducted into the Beatrice High School Hall of Fame in 2005. 

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 2:30 PM Saturday, June 29, 2019 at the First Mennonite Church.