Erwin E. Stortz

Monday, January 11, 2016 4:43 pm

Erwin E. Stortz, 78, of rural Mabel, died Monday, Jan. 4, 2016, at his home following a courageous 25-year battle with cancer. Funeral mass was at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 9, at the St. Olaf Catholic Church in Mabel, with Father Joe Hennen and Msgr. Donald P. Schmitz co-officiating. Burial was in the Calvary Cemetery in Canton.  Visitation was 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 8, at the church in Mabel, with a prayer service at 8 p.m. and one hour prior to services at the church. In lieu of flowers the family prefers memorials payable to Heartland Hospice, Calvary Cemetery, or the Mabel Lions Cancer Telethon. The family wishes to express their gratitude to Dr. Thomas Habermann, his Mayo oncologist, who cared for him during his for 25-year cancer battle, and also Drs. Markovic, Pulido, and Brennan, and to Heartland Hospice for their excellent care.
Erwin was born Feb. 5, 1937, near Henrytown, Minn. to Henry and Bernadine (Gossman) Stortz. He grew up in the Newburg area and attended the Newburg and Mabel schools. As a child he attended St. Mary’s Catholic Church – Preble and has been a member of St. Olaf’s Catholic Church since its dedication in 1958. He hauled canned milk while helping on the family farm. He married Virginia Gwilt at the Assumption rector June 24, 1961. In 1962 they purchased a dairy farm near Newburg and eventually diversified into beef and hogs also. They were the parents of five children: Teresa, Dean, Debra, Elaine and Julie. Dean later joined in the dairy and Erwin continued with his beef cattle until a few years ago when his health wouldn’t allow him to continue. Virginia passed away Dec. 10, 1996. He married Sue Lowrie Gwilt at St. Olaf Catholic Church Jan. 5, 2002. He enjoyed woodworking and made several furnishings for St. Olaf Catholic Church and numerous items for the Knights of Columbus fundraising auctions. Erwin enjoyed children and was often found with a child or two in his lap.
Erwin is survived by his wife, Sue, of Mabel; three children: Dean (Deb) of Mabel, Elaine Mengis of Mabel and Julie (Roger) Mathews of Oronoco, Minn.; grandchildren: Dennise (Dan) Klutts, Danielle Stortz (Brian Schwingle), Derek (Jenna) Stortz, Danette (Matt) Hoff, Kristina and Alexander Mengis, Mason Mathews; great grandchildren Alexis and Frederick Williams, Brooklyn Nelson and Braylee and Bryndle Stortz; step-children: Steve (Amy) Gwilt of Cookeville, Tenn., Kay (Jeremy Wangen) Coe of Rochester and Carol (Pat) Daly of St. Paul; step-grandchildren: Valerie and Emilie Coe, and Josephine and Genevieve Daly; two brothers, Lawrence (Gayle) of Mabel, and Darrell (Sharon) of Independence; three sisters: Marjorie Welscher and Dorothy (Harlan) Gjere both of Mabel and Nellie (Ronald) Kruse of Fort Atkinson,; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Virginia; two daughters, Debra Stortz and Teresa Mathews; a great-grandson, Anthony Williams; his parents; a brother, Joseph; and a sister, Mary Lucille Bahr.