Alfred Gotmer

Alfred Arnold Gotmer, age 72, of Rochester, died on Saturday morning, January 6th, 2024, at Our House Memory Care in Austin, MN. After a long battle with Alzheimer's, he passed peacefully in his sleep with his wife holding his hand.

Alfred "Al" Gotmer was born on March 16th, 1951, to Bernard and Hazel (Farris) Gotmer in Fulda, MN. He spent his childhood on the family dairy farm and graduated from Fulda High School in 1969. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Mary's College in Winona, MN. As a young adult, he worked with the wheat harvest from Nebraska to the Canadian border and for a copper mining company in Arizona.

Feeling moved in faith, Al attended St. Paul's Seminary and was ordained a priest in June 1979. After attending Seminary, he served the parish of St. Pius X in Rochester, MN and worked as a religion teacher at Lourdes High School. He left priesthood and went on to spend the rest of his career at Briese Iron Works as a Senior Project Manager for 28 years, retiring in 2013.

On July 17th, 1995, Al married Candis. Though the two attended Fulda High School together, they were later set up on a blind date through a family friend. Al and Candi spent 28 years together.

He enjoyed working in the yard, bird watching, expanding his model tractor collection, and wowing people with his skill in magic. Most of all, Al was passionate about addiction recovery; he was a sponsor to many in Alcoholics Anonymous and was a guiding light for those that needed help with their own addiction. He celebrated 47 years of sobriety.

Al is survived by his wife, Candis (Schipper) Gotmer of Rochester, MN; son, William Gotmer of Atlanta, GA and daughter, Anastasiya (Taylor) Kelzenberg of Rochester, MN; brother, Paul (Kimberly) Gotmer of Hayward, WI; and many nieces and nephews.

Al is preceded in death by his parents, Bernard and Hazel (Farris) Gotmer; sister, Mary (Brent) Cassel.

A visitation will be held at Ranfranz & Vine Funeral Home from 5 p.m.to 7 p.m. on Friday, January 12th, 2024. The funeral service will be held at Calvary Episcopal Church at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 13th, 2024.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 3261 19th St. NW #201, Rochester, MN 55901, or Calvary Episcopal Church, 111 3rd Ave SW, Rochester, MN 55902. The Gotmer family wishes to thank Ranfranz & Vine Funeral Home & Calvary Episcopal Church for assisting them in fulfilling Al's final wishes.

Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home is honored to be serving the Gotmer family. To share a special memory or condolence, please visit www.ranfranzandvinefh.com