Earl W. Petz, age 78, of Grand Rapids, MN, passed away peacefully at his home on his 78 birthday, June 14, 2026, surrounded by friends and family.

Earl was born in 1948 to Vona and Earl Petz Sr. in Grand Rapids. He graduated high school in 1966 and enlisted in the United States Air Force, serving as an airplane mechanic in Fairbanks, AK. After his service in the Air Force Earl returned to Grand Rapids, working in the mining and logging industries before joining the Blandin Paper Company and starting his own business in the lumber industry, where he would work at both for the next 30 years until his retirement.

Earl and Cindy Heavirland were united in marriage in 1974 in Clayton, MO and made their home in Grand Rapids in 1975. Here, Earl and Cindy lived, worked, and played for the next 47 years, raising three kids who would go on to serve in the military, become doctors, public safety officers, and successfully raise families of their own.

Outside of his strong work ethic logging, mining, and working in the paper and lumber industries, Earl was a passionate outdoorsman. Duck hunting and trapping along the Mississippi River near where he grew up and lived throughout his life, fly fishing for trout in the rivers of Idaho, glassing for big game in the mountains of Montana, white tail hunting out in the woods just behind the house, fishing and hunting around the many lakes of Minnesota and beyond, camping with his family whenever he could – he never tired of being outdoors.

Earl is preceded in death by his parents, Vona and Earl, Sr; wife, Cindy; daughter, April; and granddaughter, Kiara Belle. He is survived by his sons, Bill (Michelle), Matt (Amy), Zach (Tessa); sister, Peg; brothers, Tom (DeVonna) and Tim; and seven grandchildren, Dusty, Austin, Noah, Nick, Tyler, Alix, and Makayla.

The family would like to extend a sincere thank you and our deepest appreciation to Wally Krook and Sheila Dorn, who selflessly took so much of their own time and provided such exceptional care and meaningful support to our dad in his final days.

A gathering of friends and family will be held on Monday June 22, 2026, at 1:00pm at Rowe Funeral Home, Grand Rapids, MN.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Earl Petz Memorial Fund via Venmo @Earl-Petz-Memorial-Fund, or scan the QR code below.