John Goentzel is overseas consultant
John Goentzel of Marion, who has worked for Boeing of Wichita since 1985, is spending almost three months in Italy.
John left Sept. 2 and is expected home about two days before Thanksgiving. He is an inspector of computerized engineering drawings.
Living in Naples, John is acting as a Boeing consultant to an Italian company which builds military airplanes for the Italian government.
According to John's wife, Marlene, he is training Italians in the inspection process.
She said the experience in Italy will make him a candidate for similar assignments in other places, such as Japan and Australia.
Marlene said being without her husband is a challenge.
"I worry that, if something goes wrong, John won't be here to help me," she said, "but I'll just have to handle it."
The couple have four children, two remaining at home. Daniel, 15, is a Marion High School freshman. He is on the cross country team, in the school musical, and has 4-H animals. Elizabeth, 8, is a third grader at Marion Elementary School.
In addition to taking care of the family, attending school and community functions, and doing farm chores, Marlene is taking 12 hours of classes at Butler County Community College.
"It's a busy time," she said.
John's assignment is not without its perks, including one for her. Marlene will be visiting her husband in October. She plans to spend a week in Italy and is looking forward to the experience.
"If six months ago someone had told me I would be going to Italy, I would have said they were crazy," she said.
Naples is just two hours away from Rome and is close to many other historic or well-known sites.
"There'll be a lot of things to see," she noted.
