Charlotte Ann Gorres

Charlotte Gorres, age 82, of Willmar, passed away Thursday morning, February 20, at Bethesda Grand in Willmar.

Visitation will begin at 9 a.m. followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. on Monday, February 24, at the Church of Saint Mary in Willmar.  Interment will be in the church cemetery.  Arrangements are entrusted to Peterson Brothers Funeral Home.  www.petersonbrothers.com

Charlotte Ann was born October 31, 1942, in Sleepy Eye, MN the daughter of Raymond and Viola (Lux) Strate. She grew up on the family farm and graduated from St. Mary’s Catholic High School in 1960. She met Richard Gorres drag racing on the streets of Sanborn in her dad’s 1957 Hudson Hornet. They married at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Sleepy Eye on August 4, 1962. They made their home in Wilmar and were blessed with five children, Cathy, Chrissy, Bobby, Paul and Carol. Charlotte was a stay-home mom for several years and worked weekend nights at the Willmar American Legion. She cooked alongside her mother-in-law Joyce Gorres, and they were well known for their good food and good service. After the kids were in school Charlotte worked alongside her husband Dick at Team Electronics in the Willmar Kandi Mall. He was the store manager, and she was a bookkeeper. When Team closed Charlotte went to work as the receptionist at Bethesda Heritage and later at Bethesda Pleasantview. Charlotte retired after 20+ years at Bethesda.

Dick and Char enjoyed traveling. They visited 48 states and Europe including Luxembourg where her grandparents came from. Char enjoyed sewing, knitting, gardening and canning. She loved all animals, especially her three birds Chickie, Petie and Fritzer. She enjoyed old time music and would get out her accordion to play polkas and waltzes. But mostly she enjoyed her grandkids and great grandkids. Dick and Char attended all of their concerts, ballgames, parades, etc. They loved hearing about their adventures and supported them in whatever they were doing. Char always had a twinkle in her eye and brought joy wherever she went. She liked to have a good time and would even instigate a little mischief once in a while. Dick and Char enjoyed 57-years of marriage before he passed in 2019. They were an example to everyone who knew them that marriage is a commitment with ups and downs but can and should be done with a smile.

Charlotte is survived by four children, Cathy (and Tom) Dahl of Kerkhoven, Bob Gorres of Cosmos, Paul Gorres of Willmar and Carol (and Eric) Tollefson of Sunburg; seven grandchildren, Brandin Dahl (and special friend, Madelyn Shugart), Austin Dahl, Tyler Smith (and special friend, Kayla Henderson), Jesse (and Michelle) Smith, Kailey Gorres (and special friend, Brandon Larson), Mitch (and Becca) Tollefson and Megan (and Will) Fournier; and six great-grandchildren Autumn, Payton and Paislee Smith, Axel and Cash Smith and Noah Tollefson. Also surviving is her brother, Lynn Strate of Bemidji, as well as many nieces, nephews and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Richard in 2019; one daughter, Christine Ann Smith in 2016; and two brothers, Louis Strate and Chuck Strate.