Harold Bartz

Harold William Bartz was born on December 17, 1924 to William and Emma (Polley) Bartz on a farm near McIntosh, MN in East Polk County. He was baptized on January 11, 1925 and confirmed on April 28, 1940 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in McIntosh. His confirmation verse was John 10: 27-28 - My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. He attended rural school and graduated from McIntosh High School in 1942. Harold served in the United States Marine Air Corps in Guam and received his honorable discharge in 1947. He then attended the University of Minnesota and graduated in March of 1951 with a BS degree in Agricultural Economics. On October 6, 1951 he was united in marriage to Beverly Jean Olker at University Lutheran Chapel in Minneapolis. They moved to Sleepy Eye and Harold taught vocational agriculture to World War II and Korean War veterans for 11 years. After that he farmed north of Sleepy Eye until his retirement in 1993. Harold was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church, serving as congregational president, church councilman, Sunday School superintendent and teacher. He was past president of the Sleepy Eye Lions Club, charter member and past president of the Sleepy Eye AFS chapter, 25 year member of the Brown County Agricultural Society Board, past president and honorary lifetime member of Minnesota Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, member of Minnesota/Brown County Farm Bureau and past member of Minnesota Pork Producers, serving one term as state vice-president. He served on the District 84 school board, including 3 years as chairman, and was active in the Sleepy Eye Education Foundation, Sleepy Eye Historical Society, PTA and Toastmasters Club. Harold was a lifetime member of B. A. Remmele American Legion Post #7 and Isaac-Radl VFW Post #800. In 2006 Harold was Honorary Chairman of the Brown County Relay for Life and in 2002 he was named Brown County Outstanding Senior Citizen. In 1983 the family was honored as Brown County Farm Family of the Year. Harold was a leader of the Sleepy Eye Wide Awakes 4-H Club for many years and was an honorary member of the Sleepy Eye FFA Chapter. He was a member of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association and Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity. He enjoyed family and friends, traveling, woodworking, bird watching and gardening, especially sharing his flowers with shut-ins. Harold died Wednesday, November 30, 2011 at Countryside Apartments in Sleepy Eye at the age of 86. He is survived by his wife - Beverly, children - Gregory and wife Mary (Greeley) Bartz of Sleepy Eye, Pamela and husband Jon Melby of Wells, MN, Bradley and wife Nancy (Gabriel) Bartz of Sioux Falls, SD; 5 grandsons - Erik, Justin and Christopher Melby of Wells, MN, Ryan and Aaron Bartz of Sioux Falls, SD; brother - Clifford Bartz of McIntosh, MN; sister - Jeanne and husband Lyle Puffe of Grand Forks, ND; brother-in-law - Norris Svien of Bloomington; sister-in-law - Barbara Barrett of Mound, MN and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He is preceded in death by his parents - William and Emma; brothers - Henry and wife Orvilla, Edwin and wife Ella, Raymond and wife Alice, and Richard in infancy; sisters - Esther and husband Julian Swanson, Helen and husband Harley Proehl, Margaret and husband Raymond Proehl, Dorothy and husband Oliver Fjerstad, Wilma Svien, and Loretta and Bernice in infancy; sister-in-law Betty Bartz; brother-in-law Charles Barrett. Memorials may be directed to St. John's Lutheran Church organ fund, Brown County Relay for Life, Sleepy Eye Medical Center Foundation, Sleepy Eye Area Historical Society, Sleepy Eye Education Foundation, Countryside Retirement Community or donor's choice.