Our Staff

Chris and Stephanie co-founded Goes Funeral Care in 1996. Chris grew up in his family’s funeral home in southern New Jersey. Wanting to follow in his father’s footsteps, he pursued Mortuary School, National Board Certification and Licensure. Chris and Stephanie worked with his parents for ten years before making the decision to embark on a new adventure in Fort Collins. 

Chris and Stephanie created Goes Funeral Care because they felt there was a need in our community to offer funeral service in a different way - where a family could feel more in control, where they could be better educated to make informed decisions best for them. These values continue to lead the compassionate, professional Goes team.

Hi, my name is Dane and I am a first-generation Funeral Director/Embalmer. I started my career in January 1984 in my hometown of Smith Center, Kansas where my wife Micki and I eventually co-owned two funeral homes and two furniture stores. In 1998, we sold our businesses and moved to Goodland in western Kansas. During our 16 yrs. in Goodland, we purchased three funeral homes in Colorado and two in Nebraska -all in small towns. We sold these businesses in 2012, and in October 2014 moved to Cape Cod, Massachusetts to be closer to our older son, Ian and family and where I managed two funeral homes, one in Bourne and Sandwich (oldest town on the Cape, 1636). Micki worked as a Certified Life Celebrant for the funeral homes our company owned in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. In the summer of 2016, I was offered a General Manager position in Lafayette, CO and the opportunity to work alongside my youngest son, Ren. After three years in Colorado, and the passing of my wife, Micki, in Dec. of 2018, I made the move back to Kansas to be closer to my mother. I then moved back to Colorado to be closer to Ren and family. In addition to my Colorado Licenses, I also hold the licenses of Funeral Director, Embalmer and Crematory Operator in Kansas.

In my free time, I enjoy concerts, working around my house, visiting friends and sharing time with my family especially my grandchildren. I also have a pilot’s license and enjoy flying, sporting events and golf.

I look forward to serving the families of Ft. Collins and surrounding communities with Goes Funeral Care.

Hi there, my name is Desi Black and I am a Funeral Arranger and Licensed Cremationist with the State of Colorado. I graduated from Arapahoe Community College in July 2024 after completing an Associate of Applied Science degree in Mortuary Science.

I was born and raised on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and joined the Air Force shortly after graduating high school. While in the Air Force, I was stationed in Germany, Montana, and Mississippi. After my enlistment, I moved to Alabama where I earned a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree at the University of South Alabama. I moved to Colorado in 2016 for graduate school and completed a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree at the University of Denver. My professional and educational experiences have offered me many unique opportunities and roles, but the through line has always been serving people and communities during major life changes or particularly difficult times.

I am grateful to call Northern Colorado home for over 7 years now. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with friends and chosen family, finding ways to support and care for my community, and spending time at home with my partner and our two kitty cats.

Hello, my name is Samantha Hinzmann, and I am the cremation coordinator for both flame and water cremation at Goes Funeral Care. I also hold a CO State License as Natural Reductionist having completed the CANA certification. My goal is to ensure that families are confident they rely on us to always give their loved ones the utmost care and respect. My background working with water cremation has allowed me to join the Goes team with a focus on offering water cremation services and educating families who may want to learn more about earth-friendly options.

Born and raised in Loveland, I am a student at the University of Northern Colorado studying Molecular and Cellular Biology with a minor in Chemistry and will graduate this December. When I’m not studying or working, you can find me enjoying the visual arts that Northern Colorado offers and spending quality time with my friends and family whenever I can.

I am proud to support families in their time of need, providing love, compassion and stability when they need it most.

Hello there, I am Bethany. I am a graduate from the University of Northern Colorado with a degree in psychology and a minor in criminology. I first learned of Goes Funeral Care and completed an internship with them in my last semester of schooling. During my internship I fell in love with the care and detail every individual puts into their work, the staff themselves, and all that Goes stands for and upholds within the funeral industry.

In my free time I enjoy being near and spending time with my two cats, dog, husband, friends, and two hundred plus houseplants.

Hi, my name is Ray Gillan and I am a Funeral Assistant here at Goes. My bride of fifty years, Deb, and I moved to Fort Collins from Arvada in 1976 to attend Colorado State University and never left. We raised our five children here and after a wonderful forty three year career as a Firefighter/EMT with Poudre Fire Authority I was looking for other ways to serve my community. This is when Chris and Stephanie approached me about supporting the families they serve as a funeral assistant. I feel blessed to be able to be with families as they love, honor and remember their loved ones. In my spare time I cheer on my ten grandchildren in sports, dance and school endeavors, camp and travel the United States and beyond with Deb in our 5th wheel. I also love participating in activities in my church and spending time with family and friends. I look forward to being part of the Goes organization as they continue to serve their clients with respect, dignity and care.

Hello, my name is Mark Gotschall. My wife Connie and I moved to Fort Collins from Nebraska in 1978 for a job at Union Manufacturing. We were blessed with 3 children and now have 5 grandchildren. Things changed in September of 1983 when the manufacturing facility was closed. That led me into the medical field as a patient care technician where after 38 years I left as a field service technician. I left and returned to dialysis several times, once to become a Colorado State Trooper, also to become a Reserve Deputy for LCSO. My father who passed away from cancer told me, the greatest calling in this world is serving others. My retirement career at Goes is allowing me to do just that. I look forward to many years of service to this community.

Hello, my name is Renee. I am a funeral assistant here at Goes and owner of The Crowded Bookshelf, an independent bookstore based in Fort Collins. After working at corporately owned funeral homes, I am happy to be at Goes as their values and practices align with my own. I am a proud member of The Order of the Good Death, an organization that encourages open conversations about death and grief as well as better end-of-life planning and diverse funeral options.

Fort Collins has been my home since 1996. I am glad to be able to serve my community both through my position at Goes as well as my bookstore. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and writing (unsurprisingly), getting lost in nature with my dogs, being creative with friends, and traveling as often as I can.

Hi there. My name is Rod and I am a funeral assistant at Goes. I am also a professional Photographer – Pentico Photography and dabble in bus driving for the Poudre School District and chauffeuring party minded folks around town with NoCo Party Bus. I originally met the Goes family when they first opened their doors and was asked to help out at a funeral or two. That has, over the years, transitioned into greater responsibilities with my flexible schedule to help our families at very difficult times.

I have lived in Fort Collins since 1993 with my wife Lorrie and having raised our kids here. In my free time, I cheer on anything from Nebraska and keep up with my son’s family – twin grandchildren and my daughter just starting college. I have a black belt in Taekwondo and teach martial arts when I can.

Hello. My name is John B. Farrell, IV, but just call me John. I am a funeral assistant and crematory operator for Goes Funeral Care. I had been the Facility Supervisor for Security at Poudre Valley Hospital before retiring and also completed a stint at Kodak years before that. But I was only retired for a short time before the opportunity to work in the funeral industry came up - something I always wanted to do. I came knocking at Goes and they warmly opened the door for me.

Originally hailing from Oklahoma, I left my home state to serve my country in the US Air Force/Security Police during the Vietnam War. I married my lovely wife, Jean, in 2006 and we try to spend time with our blended families when we can. I enjoy traveling around our beautiful state of Colorado and spending time outdoors fishing and hunting.

Working for Goes Funeral Care and serving people with compassion and respect through their dark times is a great personal achievement for me. It has made me a better person.

After working for Goes Funeral Care for 9 years, John has retired. Or so he says. One day we figure he will be in at 6:00 am starting the coffee pot for the Monday morning meeting to catch up. We miss his smiling face, good natured attitude and Johnny on the spot mentality - can we bottle that? And of course his John-isms.."ain't nothing but a thing".