Ray (Raymond C.) Hanover Ploetz

Ploetz, Ray (Raymond C.) Hanover, age 86 years. On Aug. 3, 2015, having lived a life filled with adventures, Ray with total trust in his Lord boldly embarked on the last and greatest adventure of life. Born in 1929, the son of a Lutheran pastor, Rev. Raymond W. Ploetz, and Registered Nurse mother, Evelyn Frances (Barr) Ploetz, he moved with them from parsonage to parsonage in the Midwest and southwest and observed the hardships of the great depression in Illinois and the depression plus the dust-bowl in Oklahoma and the disheartened Okies returning to Oklahoma after a fruitless search for work in California. Even at his young age he observed and noted those broken by those conditions and those who fought back against those conditions and became the "Greatest Generation" which won the Second World War. His life joys were his wife/ companion/best-friend Lynne; four children, Alan (Maple Grove), Scot (deceased), Meri DeCaria (Ogden), and Kathlyn Sanchez (Plymouth). One of Minnesota's first custodial fathers, he raised his children to adulthood and delighted in their varied talents, in their spouses [daughters-in-law Julie and Kristin and sons-in-law Mark DeCaria and Agustin Roque Sanchez] and his grandchildren, Cody and Conner Ploetz, and Agustin and Emma Sanchez, and step-grandchildren Stefanie and Angela DeCaria. He was pre-deceased by an older sister, Helen J.M. Ploetz. He is survived by a brother, Eldon W. Ploetz (wife Sherry) Indiana, and a sister, Evelyn H. Hemp (husband Gene, deceased), Florida. Second to raising his children, Ray's most gratifying career was his service in the Army. Denied admission to the Naval Academy in 1947 by a heart murmur, Ray enlisted as a recruit In the 330th Army Band, soon the 103d Infantry Division Band (now the 451st Army Band). At the beginning of the Korean War he transferred to Military Intelligence (Ml) Branch and later at rank of Sergeant First Class, in recognition of his efforts in a counter-intelligence mission assigned his unit, was given a direct commission in Ml, one of only two of those first commissioned in the newly established Army Ml branch. Among his assignments in Ml, Ray taught strategic appraisal and arms control at the Army Command and Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, and combat intelligence and counter-intelligence subjects at the 5th Army intelligence School. In 1984, in his last assignment as contingency commander of the U.S. Army Special Security Group, he was retired at the rank of Colonel. Ever after, he stood ready should his country call. He was gratified to share in winning the Cold War and was awarded the Legion of Merit, two awards of the Meritorious Service Medal, three awards of the Army Reserve Service Medal and three awards of the Army Reserve Commendation Medal. Devoted to our republic, Ray returned to college mid-career and received his Master of Arts in Public Affairs from the University of Minnesota. He was an active observer of the national and local political scenes and his letters to the editor and his commentaries were published frequently, more frequently after his military retirement He was also active in his community serving inter alia as president of the Mound Area Chamber of Commerce and lay leader of Bethel Methodist Church, Mound. Ray's Lutheran minister father and family could not contribute to Ray's college education. Therefore Ray obtained several part-time jobs to work his way through law school: property manager of the University of Minnesota Bands, supervisor of the driver-ushers for the (then) Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, custodian of the Anatomy Building of the U's Medical School, etc. He also took a heavier course load so as to graduate from the University of Minnesota and its Law School in only five years. He entered private practice in the Minneapolis and Lake Minnetonka areas. He was a pioneer in family law. He was chairman of the Minnesota State Bar's Family Law Section, founder and second president of the Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and a member of the governing council of the American Bar Association's Family Law section. He was appointed to the Governor's Commission on Drugs and Drug Abuse and drafted the "Nature and Extent of the Problem" chapter of the Commission report (used as Governor Wendell Anderson's special message to the legislature on drugs and drug abuse). He conceived, drafted, secured bar association endorsement and lobbied to enactment many family law related revisions of our statutes including the 1971 complete revision of the law of paternity. He won several precedent setting cases including Willmore v. Willmore. [won at trial, successfully defended point of law in the Minnesota Supreme Court (1966), and in the U.S. Supreme Court]. He wrote the Minnesota Family Law Desk Book, published 1972 by Minnesota Continuing Legal Education, which the librarian of the Hennepin County Law Library told him, " It was the most stolen book in the library." He also wrote Chapter Two, "Initial Consideratioms" of and provided client questionnaire forms for another chapter in the Matthew Bender four-volume encyclopedia Family Law and Practice. 1985. He lectured on family law related subjects both in Minnesota and nationally. He was noted for urging lawyers in family law to avoid increasing or calcifying the antagonisms between the parties so as to use residual affection to promote workable settlements. He was listed in Naifeh & Smith's Best Lawyers in America, 1983, and retired from practice in 1994. From 1984 through 1987, Ray took a sabbatical from the practice of law and enlisted in the war against terror as a consultant to the U.S. Department of State. As such he assessed the security of embassies and other U.S. properties in twenty-seven countries in Africa, assisted in designing and supervising construction of the upgrades. He was cited by the State Department for his contributions to the embassy security effort. At the end of 1987 he resigned to return to Minnesota to run for Minnesota's 6th Congressional District seat. Of the election he said "I didn't lose, I just wasn't elected." All his life he was open to adventure and challenge and lived life to the fullest. In 1946 he exchanged letters with Adm. Richard Byrd seeking to be the Eagle Scout in the next expedition to Antarctica. He also exchanged letters with Sister Elizabeth Kenney about his own bout with and recovery from polio. He enjoyed music and while in college played chimes in Tchikovsky's "1812 Overture" under Antal Dorati with the Minneapolis Symphony and later sang in a chorus under Leonard Slatkin with the Minnesota Orchestra in Mahler's "Creation" Symphony. He also sang with the Minnetonka Choral Society seven seasons and as its president was noted for his one-liners. He was a pilot rated in light planes and in sailplanes and enjoyed a score of other hobbies including beekeeping, gardening, woodworking and winemaking. In faith, he looks to the future when as their own times come he greets each of his friends and loved ones with a "hello" to which there will never again be a "goodbye." In lieu of flowers, memorials may be preferred to The military band support fund of the Association of Minnesota Army Reserve Band Veterans. Happy Hound Rescue or The Gideons International. Funeral service 11 AM Saturday, August 8 at Edinbrook Church, 4300 Edinbrook Pkwy, Brooklyn Park. Visitation 1 hour prior to service at church. Interment Fort Snelling National Cemetery. Washburn-McReavy.com Coon Rapids Chapel 763-767-1000

Tributes

Ray (Raymond C.) Hanover Ploetz

August 3, 2015

Tributes

Ray (Raymond C.) Hanover Ploetz

August 3, 2015

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