Jerry Deal

Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, January 13, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. at Ave Maria Catholic Church in Wheaton with Father John Paul Knopik and Father Stan Wieser officiating. Organist will be Cindy Sanasack and soloists will be Tressa Lanter and Dennis Johnson.

Visitation will be held Friday, January 12, 2018 from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. with a prayer/share service to follow. Visitation will continue Saturday afternoon one hour prior to service time at the Church.

Interment will be at Wildwood Cemetery. Pallbearers will be all of Jerry's grandchildren: Lorilee Bergin, Kari Smith, Shannon Miller, Michael Miller, Katherine Norby, Stevie Ihry, Peyton Deal, and Jackson Deal. Honorary Pallbearers will be all of Jerry's dear friends and family.

Jerry was born March 15, 1932 in Wheaton, MN to Phillip and Katherine (Hunder) Deal. He attended school in Wheaton, graduating in 1950. Jerry married his high school sweetheart, Frances (Carlson) on April 27, 1952 in Wheaton. They spent more than 65 years together and made their home, raised their family, and farmed in rural Wheaton.

Jerry was a firm believer that we were all obligated to share our talents and energy making the Community a better place. In that spirit, Jerry dedicated a great part of his life to community service. At a very young age, Jerry founded the Minnesota Real Estate Taxpayers Association, an association dedicated to the fair representation of real-estate owners throughout the State of Minnesota. He served on the Wildwood Cemetery Board, managing the Cemetery's investments and finances for more than 65 years. He served as a District Supervisor of the Traverse County Soil and Water Conservation District for 46 years. He served as a Traverse County Commissioner for 8 years, reluctantly retiring from that position for health reasons.

Jerry was a lifetime member of Ave Maria Catholic Church. He served Mass for more than 25 years. He served as a Eucharistic Minister for more than 25 years. And, he served on the Parish Council Finance Committee for more than 40 years. His faith and his Parish were extremely important to him.

Jerry is survived by his wife of 65 years, Frances (Carlson) Deal of Wheaton, MN; his daughters: Julie Miller of Wheaton, MN; Joni (David) Norby of Dinuba, CA; Jacqueline (Steven) Hennen of Lake Havasu City, AZ; his son Philip (Colleen) Deal of Wheaton, MN; his grandchildren: Lorilee (Tom) Bergin of Moorhead, MN; Kari (Vince) Smith of Omaha, NE; Shannon (Erica) Miller of Bemidji, MN; Michael (Kelsie) Miller of Roseville, MN; Stevie (Tyler) Ihry of Plymouth, MN; Katherine Norby of Visalia, CA; Peyton Deal of New York, NY; Jackson Deal of Wheaton, MN; his great-grandchildren: Samara Bergin, Skyla Bergin, Eva Miller, Paxton Miller, Burke Miller, Cecelia Miller, Winnie Miller, Tobias Miller, and Kylian Ihry; and his sister Phyllis Wieser of Wheaton, MN.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents Phillip and Katherine (Hunder) Deal; his grandsons: Ian Hennen, and Benjamin Norby; his sisters: Alvera Dawes, Bernadean Swanke, and Margaret Erickson.

Jerry's family would like to thank everyone for the amazing support we have received! We are truly blessed to call the Wheaton-Area Community our home.