Melody Goltz

Mrs. Melody Ann (Anderson) Goltz, succumbed to her courageous battle with cancer on August 1, 2023. Melody was an only child of Robert C. and LaVerne (Mueller) Anderson born in Miami while her father was stationed there during WWII. She grew up surrounded by a large family of Aunts and Uncles in St. Louis, MO (Missourah if you’d ask her) and grew up to value and cherish family connections. Melody completed nurses training as a Registered Nurse at Jewish Hospital, St. Louis. She and husband Gordon (aka Pete) Goltz, started their careers and family first in the San Francisco suburb of Pinole, CA and shortly after moved to Grand Rapids, MI.  In 1981 she joined Pete in moving to Taylor, MI and within her 15 years living there grew to embrace the people around her and found a special place in her career as an Oncology nurse, where she thrived.  Melody believed that she got more comfort, appreciation and value of life from the patients that she cared for than the exceptional and devoted care she provided to them.  It was truly a labor of love. After retiring from Nursing full time, her and Pete moved back to Grand Rapids upon his retirement from the ministry. Melody was schooled and trained in science and medicine but her heart and passion was in music, art and nature.  She loved gardening and “digging in the dirt” but also wanted a way to hold onto the visual joy that she got from nature and in her late 50s decided to take up painting.  She truly enjoyed painting and was a gifted painter.  She truly cherished her relationships with neighbors and friends acquired through painting class, church, and gardening. 

Melody was preceded in death by her husband, mother and father.  She is survived by 3 half-brothers Dennis (Duffy), David and Daniel Anderson residing in Indianapolis; children Jason S. Goltz and spouse Marcie Julian-Goltz, daughter Heather (Goltz) Stagman, grandson Timothy C. Stagman, II, and step-granddaughter Desiree R Julian.

The funeral service will be held at 3pm on Sunday August 6th at St Matthew Lutheran Church, 5125 Cascade Rd SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 with visitation starting at 2pm.  Interment will be by private family ceremony at Highland View Cemetery in Big Rapids, MI.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Humane Society of West Michigan.

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