Jay Blair Goettler
Jay Blair Goettler, 87, of Butler passed away peacefully in his sleep Tuesday.
Jay was born April 10, 1931, in Butler.
He graduated from Butler High School and continued on to St. Vincent College in Latrobe for a year.
Jay was married to Virginia Ann (Glace) Goettler on Feb. 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 four years with the Seabees, (U.S. 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 of 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 Pirates 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 six great-grandchildren, Carter, Madilyn, Eliana, Evangeline, Daniel and Camden; his nieces and nephews; and the rest of his relatives and friends.
Jay was preceded in death by his parents, Eugene C. Goettler and Margaret E. Goettler; as well as his brother, Dale Goettler.
GOETTLER — Visitation for Jay Blair Goettler, who died Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018, will be held from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Geibel Funeral Home, 201 E. Cunningham St., Butler.The funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Fidelis Catholic Church, 125 Buttercup Road, Butler. The Rev. Nicholas J. Argentieri will be officiating.Burial will follow the funeral at Calvary Cemetery.In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to VNA Hospice, 115 Technology Dr., Butler, PA 16001, or The Musical Theatre Guild of Butler, P.O. Box 2001, Butler PA 16003.For more information or to leave an online condolence, please visit www.geibelfuneralhome.com.
