Randy Glanzer

Randy Glanzer, 65, of Freeman passed away on Nov. 29th at Diamond Care Center in Bridgewater. Memorial Services will be held on Saturday, Jan. 17th at the Hutterthal Mennonite Church at 11 am. Visitation will be from 5-7 pm with a time of sharing at 7 pm on Friday, Jan. 16th at the church.

To livestream the Visitation click on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/live/unVAe34OTE8

To livestream the Memorial Service click on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/live/YunVFcX5tVA

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to the Midwest Miracles Foundation; 501 E. Park Ave; Viborg, SD 57070. (established by Kobee Sherman, who built it so that other families with children with cancer could feel the love and support that Kobee was shown by so many).

Randy Joe Glanzer, 65, born on January 18, 1960, to Clarence and Shirley (Wollman) Glanzer, passed away on November 29, 2025, at the Diamond Care Center, Bridgewater, SD. Randy grew up on a dairy farm outside of Freeman, SD and graduated from Freeman High School. He had perfect attendance for all four years of high school. After graduation, he remained on the home farm and worked as a welder at Rural Manufacturing for 39 years. During this time, he also farmed with his Dad and continued farming by himself after his father's death in 2000.

He was baptized at Hutterthal Mennonite Church when he was a junior in high school and was an active member until his health prohibited him from attending. He was a long-time usher and also served as a youth sponsor, accompanying the youth to the Mennonite General Assembly in Nashville in 2002.

Randy was a gentle, unassuming man who loved to tease. When he was younger, a good week included taking friends out boating or fishing during the summer, attending ball games, bowling in a bowling league, and golfing. For many years, he was a faithful part of the "chain gang" at Freeman's home football games. He took special interest in attending his nephews' basketball games and his cousin's children's football and basketball games. Even when walking was difficult, he would park his vehicle so he could watch the football games. He enjoyed when family would come and visit with him during that time.

When younger, he seined for crawdads in area dugouts with his brother and Uncle Cordell. His Dad would cook up the catch, which was always gallons at a time. In recent years, he ordered crabs from Louisiana and they were cooked by his cousin Bill. He thoroughly enjoyed the crab parties, made possible by his Anderson cousins.

Family was important to Randy. Whether it was fishing, boating (pulling them around the lake on an innertube), playing pinochle, watching sports on TV, cooking crabs, or just doing chores around the farm, he enjoyed spending time with his cousins and nephews. He especially loved his nephews. He was happy when he could take trips to Kansas, Minnesota, and eventually Southeastern South Dakota to be with them. Randy was a great uncle and loved the nephews' visits to the farm. Over the years he was able to go on several longer vacation trips with "his boys" and his siblings.

He carried the cross of several serious medical conditions for the last 10 years of his life. He loved to visit with people, so when his walking became difficult, he would drive around, stop by friends and family, call them, and they would come out to visit with him.

Joyfully receiving him in heaven are his parents, Clarence and Shirley Glanzer, and a host of other relatives and friends. Those grateful for sharing his life are his siblings, Patricia (Frank) Falk, Valley Center, KS; Charles (Linda) Glanzer, Beresford, SD; and Brenda (Cecil) Lilliston, Wichita, KS; nephews Joseph (Kelsey) Glanzer; Ben Glanzer; Nathan (Jena Jones) Glanzer and Paul Falk; as well as many relatives and friends.

There are no words that can express how grateful and blessed we are to family and neighbors who were there for him in so many ways in his later years. Also, a heartfelt thank you to the Diamond Care Center staff in Bridgewater, SD and Avera At Home (hospice) for their compassionate and loving care during the last few years of Randy’s life.