George A Pluym

Olson - Tichenor Funeral Home
307 Main Street
Mapleton, MN 56065
507-524-3616

George Pluym, 76 of Mapleton, MN passed away on Wednesday, September 28 at home following a 3 month battle with cancer.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, October 3, 2016 at St. Teresa Catholic Church in Mapleton with Rev. Jason Kern officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery in Mapleton. Visitation will be held from 2 – 5 p.m. Sunday and one hour before the Mass on Monday all at the church. In lieu of flowers memorials may be given to St. Teresa Catholic Church, Mapleton Food Shelf or the American Cancer Society. Olson – Tichenor Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

George was born August 9, 1940 at the home of his parents Valere and Martha (Seys) Pluym in Monroe, MI where he lived for 2 years until the family moved to the St Clair area to join the Seys relation. There they lived for 8 years before settling on a farm in Beauford Township. George went to country schools, Hodap and Beauford, and graduated from Mapleton Public School in 1958 at the age of 17.

George was united in marriage to Donna Lee VanHunick in April of 1962. They made their home in rural Mapleton on a farm George purchased in 1958 while in the National Guard and raised their four children there. Donna passed away in December of 1987. A short time later a new chapter started in George’s life as he married Cathy (Meyer) Schirmer in January of 1989. Cathy added two step-children to George’s family.

While growing up George worked hard as a child on a family farm doing chores with the animals and working the crops. Following graduation George joined the Minnesota Army National Guard for four years as a Specialist IV. Returning home, George worked as a farmer for ten years and for Year Round Cab in the winter months for three years. At the same time George worked for his father, Valere, as a mason. The masonry trade was taught to him by his father who learned it from the “old country” of Belgium. George was proud of this heritage. George took over running the business, Pluym Masonry Construction, in 1962. He continued to work with his father, his brother Jerome, his sons and Jerome’s son, whom they both taught the trade, not to mention the many men he employed over the years. George was a very talented mason and said “If they could design it he could build it” and he did many times. George’s legacy lives on throughout south central Minnesota in all the buildings and homes he has worked on throughout his 55+ years as a masonry contractor.

George loved fishing and polka music. George’s family loved the fish fries. Additionally the family always looked forward to the Belgium Christmas cookies, luken, he would make every year. In his final days his claim to fame would be that he had never spent a night in the hospital until July of his final year.

George was a faithful Catholic and has been a member of St. Teresa Catholic Church since 1950. George served on the Mapleton Community Home Board for 6 years, was a member of the St. Teresa Catholic Church New Life 2000 committee for 2 years, and a member of the American Legion Mankato for 35 years.

George is survived by his wife Cathy, children, Jeffrey (Tracy) f Mankato, Sandra (John) Treanor Mapleton, Valere John (Barb) Avon, CT, James (Amy) St. James; stepchildren, Jodie (Bruce) Drager Mankato, Darin (Cathi) Schirmer Minnesota Lake; 10 grandchildren, 5 step-grandchildren, 7 siblings, Robert (Janet) Mapleton, Mary Ann (Mike) Muedeking St. Clair, Beverly (Tom) Kemp Redwood Falls, Jerome (Carol) Good Thunder, Barbara Stickler Idaho Falls, ID, Nancy (Greg) Wilke Streetman, TX, Geralyn (Tom) VanRossum Mapleton and many nieces and nephews. George was preceded in death by his wife Donna, his parents, one brother-in-law, one niece and one nephew.