Gary Stortz

Gary Stortz, age 76, of Highlandville, IA, passed away Monday, April 14, 2025, at Methodist Hospital in Rochester, MN.
Funeral Service will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 19, 2025, at Big Canoe Lutheran Church, with Rev. Matthew Becker presiding. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
Visitation will be from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, April 18, 2025, at Big Canoe Lutheran Church. There will be no visitation prior to the service on Saturday, April 19, 2025, attendees are asked to please come in and be seated.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Madison, WI, and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
"Gary's Legacy – Love, Family, Faith, and Community"
Born on March 15, 1949, Gary is the son of Erlin & Agnes Stortz. He was born in Decorah, Iowa and raised on the farm in Burr Oak, Iowa. Gary was baptized and confirmed at Saint Agnes Church, rural Cresco, Iowa.
Gary attended several rural country schools in the North Winneshiek School District for grades K-8 before attending Decorah High School for two years. Gary returned to North Winneshiek where he graduated in 1967. While attending North Winneshiek, he excelled in track & field, wrestling, and was named homecoming royalty. After high school, he went on to attend Rochester's Junior College to study architecture. He knew after being raised on the farm, that he never wanted to be a farmer! While attending college he worked two part-time jobs, one at Tractor Supply and another at a gas station, where he quickly ruled out another lifestyle. He would never work in retail! After one year in Rochester, he realized he was destined for more than what city life could offer. So, he packed up and moved back home, not yet realizing that this would be his future. It didn't take but a couple of years farming alongside his father, Erlin, before he had a newfound love for the land. Gary married the love of his life, Beverly Tweten, in 1968 at Mabel First Lutheran in Mabel, Minnesota. This is where I think he would say his life truly began. In 1970, they gave birth to their firstborn, Michael Stortz, and kickstarted what would become a very large Stortz family, and Gary's legacy.
He was unique in his view of the world where the most important things to him were family, faith, and community. "Take care of people, and God will take care of you" is a quote that, whether he knew it or not, he lived by. Gary and Bev continued their journey in 1972 when they moved to Highlandville and began renting the farm on the hill. This gave them their first place to call home, and it's where we still call home today. They joined Big Canoe Lutheran Church in 1972 where they were welcomed into the community, and their new faith family. For the next 18 years, they worked hard building their life together and adding to it along the way with 5 more children, Michelle, Matthew, Mitchell, Melissa, and Melinda. Gary believed that you can always add one more chair to the table, and was notorious for texting his grandchildren on snow days letting them know "today is not a lazy day, it's free-labor day".
It was 1988 when Gary and Bev purchased the Highland General Store & Campground where we've all personally experienced his love and aura. He had much to offer the world, and when his table was full at home, he wanted to build a bigger one. He did this through coffee crowds, free treats, fly fishing lessons, and pictures of your trophy fish or turkey. He wanted everyone to feel special in his store, and he wanted everyone to feel like they belonged there. Beginning in 2013 they started Highlandville's 4th of July event where we would honor community members enduring hardship, and raise money through 5K's, Candy Bar Bingo, Duck Races, and Bean Bag Tournaments. Those were special days for him, and they always ended in a prayer over a big table, with room for everyone.
In the end, Gary's life was taken by Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Throughout those final days, his family never left his side, and he was surrounded by love. Gary was able to personally speak to each child and grandchild in his final hours and share a special, heartfelt message of advice or his infinite wisdom. There were miracles within the heartbreak, and relief within the pain. On April 14th, with a pastor by his side, Gary entered into rest in eternal life. He was excited to be reunited with his late son Michael, grandsons Brady Stortz and Nathan Borreson, his parents, and many other family and friends that have gone before him.
Gary is survived by his wife, Beverly Stortz.
Children: Michelle (Mark) Borreson, Matt (Jennie) Stortz, Mitch (Amanda) Stortz, Melissa (Aaron) Lovstuen, and Melinda Stortz.
Grandchildren: Taylor (Brookelyn) Borreson, Kjersten (Julius) Folstad, Hannah (Jordan) Jaster, Hailey Borreson, Katelyn Stortz, Kelsey Stortz, Luke Stortz, Devin Stortz, Mason (Elise) Stortz, Gavin Stortz, Grace Stortz, Brendan (Leah) Lovstuen, Garrett Lovstuen, Maggie Lovstuen, Mara Lovstuen, Olivia Christopher and Ella Christopher.
Great Grandchildren: Sylvia & Waylon Folstad, Colton & Nolan Jaster, Haven & Natalie Borreson, Brayden, Wyatt and Emmett Borreson.
Siblings: Sharon Huber, Shirley Whalen, Earline Walters, Craig (Julene) Stortz.
In-laws: Sharon Tweten-Henry, Wayne (Arletta) Tweten, Jolene Tweten, Darlene (Chuck) Dahl, David (Jean) Tweten, and Randy (Marie) Tweten.
And his many nieces and nephews who gave him great pride.
Gary was preceded in death by his son, Michael Stortz, grandsons Brady Stortz and Nathan Borreson as well as his parents Erlin and Agnes Stortz, in-laws Odell and Marlys Tweten and brother and sister-in-law Jim Huber, Larry Whalen, Ed Walters, Larry Tweten, Lynette Tweten, Shirleen Tweten and Denis Tweten.