Gloria Platz
On Wednesday, August 10, 2022, Gloria Ann Platz (86), loving wife and mother of four children, passed away at age 86.
Visitation will be on Friday, August 19, 2022 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the St. Raphael Catholic Church, Springfield.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at the St. Raphael Catholic Church, Springfield on Friday, August 19, 2022 at 11:00 a.m.
The clergy will be Father Garrett Ahlers. Interment will be at the St. Raphael Catholic Cemetery in Springfield, MN. Following the burial, there will be a reception help at the Springfield Golf Course.
Arrangements are with the Sturm Funeral Home in Springfield, MN. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.sturmfh.com.
Gloria was born on May 6, 1936 in Wanda, MN to Ed and Emma Turbes. Gloria married Albert Platz on August 27, 1957 at St. Mathias Catholic Church in Wanda. They settled on the Platz farm south of Springfield where they farmed together for over 40 years. Gloria and Al raised four children, three daughters, Julianne, Monica and Teresa, and one son, Randall.
Gloria attended a Country School through fourth grade and then she attended St. Raphael grade school. Later in life she was proud to have sat for and received her GED as well as completing several post-secondary education courses. Gloria worked alongside Albert on the Platz Farm for many years, then worked at Tauer's Super Valu, and then served as a Compliance Officer for the Farmers & Merchants Bank in Springfield. After she retired, Gloria loved spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She also spent significant time with her three sisters as they loved to eat out, attend theater performances, and musicals together. Gloria and her sister, Mary, founded Glomar Tours, taking many seniors on tours to interesting and fun places around the Midwest. She also organized trips for seniors for the Farmers & Merchants Bank.
Gloria was known for her independence, professionalism, intelligence, worth ethic, her infectious smile, and her kind and compassionate spirit. She had a passion for painting and stained glass, square dancing, singing, ceramics, crocheting and knitting, reading, baking, gardening and socializing with retired friends in Harlingen, TX over winters. Gloria was a member of St. Raphael's Church, where she sang in the choir for 50 years, served as President of St. Ann's Altar Society, served on the Diocesan Board, the Committee for Church Renovation, and with her husband, Al, received the Bishop's Medal of Honor Award. She also served her community as President of the Chamber of Commerce, founding member of SANTA, served on the Community Center Fundraising Committee and the Centennial Committee, as well as participating in several Community Theater Plays. Al and Gloria enjoyed traveling together to Alaska, Europe, Australia and Mexico. Gloria also visited Fatima in Portugal, Lourdes in France, and made several pilgrimages to Medjugorje, in Croatia, even organizing a Medjugorje Prayer Group in Springfield.
Gloria was preceded in death by her husband, Albert, her daughter, Monica, her parents, Ed and Emma (Seidl) Turbes, her parents-in-law, Ed and Rose (Holm) Platz, two brothers, William and Eugene Turbes, three sisters-in-law, five brothers-in-law, and two nieces. Gloria is survived by three children: Juli Hand (Larry) of DeSoto, Missouri, Teresa Platz (David Maanum) of Fergus Falls; and Randall Platz (Kara) of Springfield; 12 grandchildren: Allison (Wesley) Dillard, Alex, and Tyler Hand, Alex and Adam Hermann, Kate (Randall) Mansfield, Anthony and Joseph Onstad, and Jack, Jake, Tom and Camille Platz; and four great-grandchildren, Avery and Easton Mansfield and Brooklyn and George Dillard. She is also survived by three sisters, Elaine Polzin, Janet Platz and Mary (Leo) Schmitz, as well as two sisters-in-law, Florence Fennern and Verona Staloch, and 36 nieces and nephews, and many extended family and friends. Gloria also loved and left two foreign exchange daughters, Martine Denis and Martina O'Sullivan Tait and their families.