Gene Platz
September 26, 1931 — December 29, 2009
GENE A. PLATZ, TSGT, USAF (retired), went home to be with his Lord on December 29, 2009. He is preceded in death by his parents Carl M. Platz and Marguerite Kjergaard Platz, his sister Dorothy Platz Roberts and his son Carl A. Platz. Gene is survived by his daughter Kathy D. Young and her husband Richard of San Antonio, Texas, his sons John J. Platz of Fresno, California and Ronald D. Platz of Cibolo, Texas and his grandson John D. Cannon and wife Athena of San Antonio, Texas and granddaughter Angela D. Cannon and fiance Christian Lucciano of Dallas, Texas. He was born on September 26, 1931 in Los Angeles, California to Jesse Ault and Mabel Fern Bagent Ault. He was adopted by two wonderful people who were both school teachers Carl and Marguerite Platz. Gene loved sports; he played football, baseball and track in high school. He continued to play softball in the service; he was always the pitcher (south paw) for his squadron. He also bowled, loved music especially jazz and loved to dance. He loved tinkering on cars and motorcycles. He enlisted in the U.S.A.F. on August 29, 1950 and was stationed at Sheppard AFB, Texas, Hickam AFB, Hawaii, Lowry AFB, Colorado, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, Mildenhall AFB England, McChord AFB, Washington, Lajes AFB Azores, Portugal, Dyess AFB, Abilene, Texas, and several times at Eglin AFB, Florida where he retired on February 6, 1969. After retiring he returned to his boyhood town of Lemoore, California and became a diesel mechanic where he worked on 18 wheelers. He retired from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers on October 31, 1990. Sometime after retiring he traveled some and then decided to move to San Antonio where he settled in Schertz and then Cibolo, Texas. In his retirement he has enjoyed gardening floral, cactus, fruits and vegetables. He loved watching NASCAR, college and pro football. He was a San Francisco 49ers and USC fan. While in Tacoma Washington he joined the Steilcoom Lodge #2 and became a Master Mason like his father. He has been a Mason for 45 years. Gene has been an inspiration to many to stop drinking. He has been sober for 36 years and has been a member of AA and attended meetings in Universal City, Texas. His business card reads Will Talk or Listen . Visitation will be held on Sunday, January 3, 2010 from 3 to 7pm at Schertz Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be held at Schertz Funeral Home on Monday, January 4, 2010 at 9:45 am. Interment will follow with full military honors at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery at 11:15am. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.
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