10/21/2025
ROBERT GOELLER
Texarkana Gazette
Oct 18, 2025
Robert “Bob” Goeller passed away unexpectedly on Thursday October 9, 2025. Bob was preceded in death by his father and mother, John and Laura Goeller, and two brothers William Goeller and James Goeller.
Bob is survived by his wife of 53 years, Dianne, and his two sisters Dorothy Goeller and Christine Goeller-granberg. He is also survived by chose family including John and Melissa Delk and their five children as well as Travis and Bethanna Vance and their family. He is survived by numerous cherished friends including Bill and Rhonda Tracey, Richard Blake, Tom and Pat Wagy and Mike and Jody Goad. Those not mentioned specifically include a multitude of friends, students and colleagues.
Bob was born in Newark, NJ, and spent his childhood in Irvington, NJ, where he graduated from high school in 1963.After high school Bob joined the U. S. Army where was a radar technician, jeep driver and a member of the honor guard. He mustered out of the Army in 1971 and relocated to Texarkana, Texas, after conducting exhaustive research on community colleges around the country. Bob attended Texarkana College and then completed his studies at Henderson State College (now Henderson State University) while there, he was selected to Kappa Delta Pi and Alpha Chi, both honor societies. He met the love of his life, Dianne Zmuda, while completing his studies.
Bob and Dianne moved back to Texarkana and he started his teaching career with Texarkana Arkansas School District in 1972. This career allowed him to mold the future and inspire thousands of students to productive lives through his classes in a variety of subjects including: American History, Black History, Economics, and Law. He loved teaching and was an excellent instructor besides being a husband to Dianne this was his greatest love in life.
Bob loved to garden and landdh ill j dhi scape, and he especially enjoyed his DIY projects. He played lots of card and board games. He was an unconventional but high skilled contract bridge player. Thanks, Tony! He was an unabashed Democrat and admired Buddhist philosophy.
Bob was a great man, a generous and funny man. He loved joking and had a huge repertoire of good and bad jokes. He loved kids and animals and they loved him. Nothing was better to him than an audience of friends or students to entertain. He is greatly missed.
Those wishing to share their memories of Bob are invited to a meet with family and friends at St. James Episcopal Church a 10 a.m. AM Friday Oct. 24, 2025, with a said Requiem Mass to follow at 11a.m.
Friends and family will also meet at Twisted Fork at 5 p.m. to swap stories and memories of Bob and to honor his life with food and spirit.
