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Jerry Larson • 1939 - 2007 Jerome Leslie Larson was born November 13, 1939, the son of Irvin and Sally (Pederson) Larson in Minot, ND. He attended McKinley Township School #3 in Ward County and graduated from Minot High School in 1957. Jerry enlisted in the United States Army June 13, 1963. He was a paratrooper and was stationed at Fort Bragg, NC. He was honorably discharged June 11, 1965. Jerry was united in marriage to Teresa Wald June 29, 1966, at St. Leo's Catholic Church, Minot. In November of 1967, they made their home on a farm located in Voltaire and Odin Township of McHenry County, on the edge of Bergen, ND, where he raised his family and stayed until the end. His farm started out as a dairy, beef cattle, and small grains farm. It evolved from there. When his dairy barn burned down he expanded his beef herd and started raising hogs. He started AI'ing his cows and he liked experimenting by crossing different breeds and bloodlines to improve his herd and raise better calves through genetics. His next expansion came when he bought a farrow to finish pig farm a mile south of Bergen. He moved his pigs to the new farm and expanded his pig herd to match the new facilities. Next the dairy cows returned, but this time not to milk, this time he bought baby calves to do the milking, but he still had to put them together twice a day. The final change to the farm came when he gradually reduced his regular crossbred beef herd and started growing a registered Black Angus herd. He took a lot of pride in raising high quality bulls through genetics and proper feeding and selling them at a reasonable price. He had several people come to his farm to buy his bulls and most were repeat customers year after year. He enjoyed these relationships and helping them pick out bulls that were right for their herds and needs. He had also drove school bus for the Velva Public Schools for over 30 years. He was a former member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Balfour, ND, and was currently a member of St. Cecilia Catholic Church, Velva. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus in Velva and was an active member of the Voltaire Township Board where he served as the chairperson. Jerry was a loving husband, dad, grandpa, brother, son, and uncle. His love for his wife was deep and he would give into her on whatever she wanted except when it came to leaving the farm. He gave of himself whenever his children needed help. He was nonjudgmental when they disappointed and offered advice when asked. He never once made them feel he had let them down and he earned every bit of their undying love, respect and devotion. He had a special love, pride and patience for his grandchildren. He spent countless hours playing games and horsing around with them. He took care of rabbits, ducks, cats, dogs and whatever animals they brought to live at the farm. He attended their many events and activities whenever possible. He loved that his grandchildren enjoyed coming to the farm for a visit or to stay a week. He loved answering their many questions and teaching them about nature. He was a strong, hardworking, kind and generous man who never complained about his problems. Most people who knew him over the years never heard him speak ill of anyone or ever raise his voice. He was quick to give help to anyone and seldom asked for help for himself. There was not problem, job or task that he believed he couldn't handle with some thinking and hard work. He had a strong love and passion for his farm, his land, watching his crops grow, his animals and nature in general. He had an intense knowledge of the history and background of all his animals. He also had an understanding and a "way" with animals that came from experience, but mostly it was natural for him. He enjoyed driving school bus all those years because it gave him a chance to get to know so many kids. It was also his love of kids that made so many nieces, nephews and neighbor kids have such fond memories of him and their visits to the farm. He didn't have time for many hobbies because his work and family were more important to him, but he did enjoy collecting things he found interesting, following Velva athletic teams, raising a garden and giving away produce, listening to music, watching the news and sports on TV, learning about anything he found interesting and practicing his faith and reading the Bible. He approached life with zest, and a calm steady attitude to take things as they come and deal with them. He was our rock. Surviving family includes: wife of 41 years, Teresa "Terry", Bergen; children, Rhonda (Randy) Peterson, Minot; and Brian (Toni) Larson, McClusky, ND; grandchildren, Natasha (Brad) Allred, Karleen Peterson, Jordan Peterson, and Levi Larson; a great-grandson who is due December 5, 2007; brothers, Don Larson, Sawyer, Duane Larson, Minot, and Lyle (Paulette) Larson, Menoken, ND; sisters, Marlene Skar, North Bend, WA, Janet (Bill) Nichol, Salt Lake City, UT, and Marilyn Conery, Somerville, TN; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Andy (Meg) Wald, Norwich, Regina (John) Klein, Minot, Helen (John) Keller, Minot, Appie (Don) Rademacher, Minot, Ann Black, Minot, Jimmy (Helen) Wald, Surrey, Harold (Elaine) Wald, Norwich, Leona Mosser, Minot, Lorraine (Ed) Ziegler, Minot, and Mary Ann (Bob) Larson, Minot; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, Irvin and Sally Larson; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Joe and Anna Wald, sister-in-law, Rose Schwan, and brother-in-law, John Wald, Richard Mosser, and Ralph Black. Funeral: Monday, October 1, 2007, at 10:30 a.m. at
St. Cecilia Catholic Church, Velva. Service Participants Music Honorary Bearers: Jerry's family, friends and members of the Knights of Columbus in Velva Active Bearers: Jeff Larson, Steve Larson, Dennis Larson,
Larry Schatz, Dean Ziegler Charlie Bartsch, Jeff Michalenko,
Randy Keller |
Jerry
Larson, 67, Bergen, ND, died Wednesday, September 26, 2007, at
his residence.