William J. Gotebeski

William J. Gotebeski, 77, of Stone Ridge, NY, passed away on Tuesday, January 6, 2026 at Health Alliance Hospital - Mary's Ave Campus in Kingston, NY. He was born on December 23, 1948 in Catasauqua, PA and was the son of the late William Gotebeski and Elizabeth Geiger.

William “Bill” Gotebeski grew up outside Allentown in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania. He was on the wrestling team in high school and loved skateboarding.

While attending the State University of New York (SUNY) New Paltz, he majored in sculpture and played guitar and wrote original music in a rock/reggae band called “The Objects.”

He and several band members departed New Paltz for NYC around 1981 and landed in Hoboken, N.J., where Bill enjoyed befriending other artists and musicians. He performed at many local and NYC clubs with a rotating roster of musicians. He often hosted late-night jams at his apartment, once featuring Danny Kalb of the Blues Project.

Bill was a prolific songwriter with more than 200 original songs. His style was “eclectic,” fusing rock, country, folk, and world music. His song, “UFO” brought his band, “Oola Boosh,” to Washington, D.C. in 1993 for a march in front of the White House requesting the release of government UFO files.

Bill was also a fine arts painter and photographer. He worked at the Newark Museum in N.J. and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in NYC, where he met the Dalai Lama and famous artists, like Chuck Close. These experiences greatly inspired his painting, and he produced many works during this time.

After living in Hoboken for many years, Bill moved to Woodstock, NY, and fronted several bands, including what he called “rock-prov” groups. He and his partner, Nina Flanagan, performed as a duet for more than 25 years.

Bill was funny, quirky, off-beat, surprising, patient, and kind. He left an impression on people not only with his art and music but also with his unique perspectives and free spirit. He will be dearly missed.

Bill is survived by his life partner, Nina Flanagan, his brother Gary Gotebeski, his niece, Nelli Brosious, and his nephew, Patrick Gotebeski.

Arrangements entrusted to Keyser Funeral & Cremation Service, Inc., 326 Albany Avenue, Kingston, NY 12401. For those who wish, contributions in William’s memory may be made to Global Lyme Alliance (www.globallymealliance.org). A tribute for William may be found at www.KeyserFuneralService.com, where you may leave memories and expressions of sympathy for his family.