Joyce M. Gatz, age 84 of Anoka, formerly of Brooten, died Monday, May 30, 2016 at River Oaks Assisted Living in Anoka.  Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 4 ^th at Trinity Lutheran Church in Brooten.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.  Interment will be in the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Brooten.  Arrangements are with the Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Brooten.

Joyce Marie (Heidelberger) Gatz was born on September 10, 1931 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Wallace and Hazel (Jensen) Heidelberger.  She was the eldest of 9 children.  As a young woman Joyce helped on the family vegetable farm in Princeton where they raised vegetables to haul to market in St. Paul.  Later she moved to the metro and worked for her uncle, Leonard Jensen in his grocery store.

Joyce met Earl Gatz after his discharge from the U.S. Army in 1953, and the couple was united in marriage on February 12, 1955.  They shared 60 years together.  Joyce and Earl's early marriage was spent in the metro area and later they moved to a farm in Otsego, where they had three children, Brian, Kathleen and Susan.  Joyce was a homemaker while the children were young.  As time passed, they made their home on a farm in Gaylord, MN and later moved to the small farm town of Correll, MN.  They shared joint ownership of the local bar for a time and later bought the Correll Café.  Joyce ran the café with the girls helping after school as the guys, Earl and Brian, ran the local blacksmith shop.  There were always homemade baked goods and fresh cooked lunches daily.  Joyce always had a garden and did a lot of sewing for the kids, including matching dresses for the girls.

After the children left home, Joyce and Earl moved to Brooten where they built a home in the country.  They had a greenhouse and very large garden and sold produce to local communities.  Joyce worked for a couple of the businesses in Brooten for a time as well.  Eventually they bought a home in town, where the garden became smaller, but still brought much enjoyment.  Joyce and Earl were members of Trinity Lutheran Church where Joyce was active in the ladies aid.  She also enjoyed quilting and spending time with her family.  They were blessed with wonderful friends and neighbors who were right there if needed as they grew older.  Their remaining years were spent relaxing in Anoka, Minnesota.

Joyce is survived by her children: Brian (Michelle) Gatz of Maynard, MN, Kathy (Scott) Jagow of Coon Rapids, MN and Susan (Doug) Schmitz of Buffalo, MN; grandchildren: Becky (Nick) Guenther, Robert (Kelly) Jagow, Steve (Sophia) Griffin, Leah Loch, April and Zach Schmitz and John (Kaila) Caveney; 11 great-grandchildren; 1 great-great granddaughter and 1 more great-great granddaughter on the way; siblings: Ray (Judy) Heidelberger, Ed (Lois) Heidelberger, Bob (Rachel) Heidelberger, Marge (Dale) Brown and Mary Randt; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Earl on July 23, 2015; and brothers, Donald, Kenneth and Leonard.