Platz Leaves Legacy of Service

By JAKE BOURGEOIS, Dyersville Commercial

Local community leaders reflected on the legacy left behind in the Dyersville community by Robert Platz across his many community endeavors.

Platz passed away Aug. 11 and was a member of the Dyersville Fire Department from 1968 to 2018, serving for 50 years, including 18 years as fire chief. He was honored as the American Legion District 2 Firefighter of the Year. He also served seven years on the Iowa Firefighters Association Board and was president of the board in 1989. For 19 years, he represented Iowa as a state delegate for the National Volunteer Fire Council. From 2008 to 2016, he volunteered with FEMA, reading and scoring fire grant applications.

Fire Chief Jeremy Honkomp recalled growing up around the fire station when Platz was chief.

“He was actually the chief when my dad was on the department,” he said. “I grew up around the department from (when I was a) baby on. Knowing Bob forever, he was just a great guy. I mean, a true leader and a good mentor. Would do about anything for anybody.”

His role in the Iowa Firefighters Association helped get the department more involved at a state level.

“He was the one that kind of got Dyersville tied to the IFA and, I want to say, put us on the map with the Iowa Firefighter’s Association,” Honkomp said.

“Bob was a wealth of knowledge and some of that knowledge can never be replaced, so he will be greatly missed.”

Platz was also a longtime member of the American Legion, serving as commander of Legion Post 137 beginning in 1972 and later as an adjutant for Legion District 2. Mike Oberbroeckling, council member and service officer at Post 137, had this to say about Platz during council comments Aug. 17.

“Bob was really the epitome of civil service,” he said. “The guy really was involved in a lot of things. So, our heart goes out to Rosie and her family.”

Like Honkomp, Oberbroeckling’s earliest memories of Platz were as a kid. “He was on the fire department with my dad when I was a kid,” he said in a phone interview with the Dyersville Commercial.

He served 12 years on the Dyersville City Council and was active with the Dyersville Sportsman Club and the Commercial Club, serving two years as president. He also served 20 years with the Catholic Order of Foresters, including many years as secretary and treasurer. Council Member Mike English, who served with Platz on the city council, said his impact could still be felt today in how the city operates.

“I’ve known Bob and his family for a long time. Bob was a wonderful man, and he brought wonderful organizational skills to the council table,” he said.

“His work carries on.”

One of the ways his impact can be felt is in the city’s administration, English said, citing the skills he brought over from his time as fire chief.

“We pretty much changed all of our management in the administration part of the city during that time when he was on the personnel committee,” he said.

Likewise, when Oberbroeckling returned to Dyersville to join the Legion Post 137, Platz’s administrative chops got to shine as adjutant, as the office takes the administrative lead for the post.

“He was just a great guy to talk to when we were at Legion events and just full of knowledge,” Oberbroeckling said, noting they’d talk about various items that might come up before the city council after Oberbroeckling joined the body.

English remembered Platz as someone who was very thoughtful during his time on the council, always asking good questions.

He was also instrumental in a number of major projects.

“He was a very enthusiastic supporter of the Field of Dreams project at its infancy. He would have been proud of seeing all the activities and the new stadium last week,” English said.

English also highlighted his work in the aftermath of some high-water events in the city, which resulted in Westside Park after the Federal Emergency Management Agency buyouts of houses in the area.

“Everybody’s proud of that Westside Park,” he said.

English will remember him as someone always open for a dialogue.

“He’s just a wonderful guy, the kind of guy you could sit down and have a beer with and a good conversation,” he said. “If you disagreed with him, it wasn’t going to go any further.”

No matter what role he played, Platz put his heart and soul into it.

“Not only was he a member of these organizations, he led them,” Oberbroeckling said.