Margaret Mary Hawken-Goeldel

Margaret Mary (Richmond) Goeldel, age 88, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Saturday, January 17, 2026.  Margaret (Marge) was born on March 28, 1937, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to Agnes and Dan Richmond.  She was preceded in death by her parents, an infant daughter (Valerie), three siblings (Ida, Daniel and Dorothy) and a special uncle, Luke Arends.

Margaret leaves behind to cherish her memory, her loving husband of 35 years, Tom, her children Laura (Mike) Brown, James (Vicky) Hawken, and Lynn Hawken, along with four grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, 1 great-great-grandson and many nieces and nephews.  She is also survived by Tom’s children, Andrew Goeldel, Carol Hancock, and Mary Goeldel, and three grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and many other loving family members. 

In Margaret’s early years, she was an outstanding student, finishing as Salutatorian of her high school class at Grand Rapids Catholic Central. Following high school, she married and spent the next ten years raising 3 children while moving all over the country (Michigan, Maine, Connecticut, California, Hawaii) before finally settling back in the Grand Rapids area. In 1976 she started a career as office manager for the Marriage and Family Center, where she was an integral part of the organization for over 17 years. She loved the people & the job. In 1990 Margaret reconnected with Tom Goeldel, a GRCC classmate who recently lost his wife to cancer. They married in 1991 and spent the next 30 years traveling the country and loving each other. Margaret loved Tom’s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren as her own. She was blessed to have not one, but two families who love her deeply. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, January 24 at 11 am at St John Vianney Church, 4101 Clyde Park Ave SW, Wyoming, MI. Relatives and friends may meet the family one hour prior to the start of mass from 10-11 am. A luncheon will be served after the mass.

The MKD funeral home on Clyde Park Ave in Wyoming, MI is overseeing arrangements.

The family would like to thank Faith Hospice for taking good care of Margaret. In lieu of flowers, those who wish may make memorial contributions to Faith Hospice or by using donation envelopes at the church.