Dutchie (Bertha) Goers passed away at the age of 93 on August 6th, 2012, at David M. Dorsett Health Care Center in Spearfish, SD. Born to Frank and Minnie Vance in Medicine Hat, Alberta, on May 13, 1919, she grew up in Pierre, SD. A longtime resident of Lake Mills, WI, she married her husband, Mose (Robert) Goers, there on June 14th, 1948. She spent the majority of her golden years in Venice, FL, before moving to Spearfish, SD, to be near her niece Kathy Huse Wika.

The sixth of ten children born to Frank and Minnie, Dutchie grew up in a small house in Pierre that remained the home place for many years. Dutchie was a seasoned traveler, sharing South Dakota Christmases with her family for over fifty years. She was known for her elaborate Christmas bows, each one handmade and carefully decorated. Many family and friends remember that any time music was playing, Dutchie was dancing.

A kind soul with a sassy spirit, she loved children and animals and music. She collected stuffed animals, cut glass, and her nephew Jim Erickson's stone sculptures. She was preceded in death by six nephews, one niece, her husband, her parents, her two brothers, and her seven sisters. The Vance family is finally together again.

A private family service will be held at Riverside Cemetery in Pierre at a later date.