Jerry Dean Ingvaldson

Jerry Dean Ingvaldson, 81, of Dodge Center, MN passed away on September 13, 2019, at Timberdale Trace in Owatonna, MN.

Jerry was born at home on the family farm in Newry Township, Freeborn County, MN on April 12, 1938, fourth in a family of six siblings. His older sister was Marian and then there was Lawrence.   Sister Betty died about the time that Jerry was born. Then, there was Ernie and Leroy. His parents were Melvin and Alma (Hendrickson) Ingvaldson. He was Baptized and Confirmed at Community Lutheran Church in Geneva, MN.

Jerry attended country school about a mile from their farm through the eighth grade and graduated from Blooming Prairie High School in 1956. After graduation he worked for the Case Dealership in Austin. Later he and his brothers bought two trucks and hauled can milk to Union Creamery, northwest of Blooming Prairie.

In 1961, Jerry joined the National Guard with the unit in Kenyon. In May of that year, he went to Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri for his six months of active duty. He spent the next several years going to weekly meetings and spending two weeks each year at summer camp. When the unit in Kenyon closed, he transferred to the Army Reserves in Rochester.

Jerry met Karen Mogen on a Sunday night at the Pla-Mor Ballroom in Rochester.   He was with some of his Blooming Prairie friends and one of the friends had gone to school in Dodge Center, so he knew Karen. The couple married on April 6, 1962 at Faith Lutheran Church and the next year they lived on a farm northeast of Rochester. After that, they moved back to Dodge Center and he worked for the local elevator as the mobile feed grinder. Their son, Scott, was born in 1963.   Jerry changed jobs again and was employed at Gandy Mfg. in Owatonna where he was working when David was born in 1966.   Just before Susan was born in 1967, he joined Laborers 405, working as a construction laborer helping to build North Junior High School in Owatonna. He spent the next 30+ years working construction, working in Waseca, Mankato, and Woodbury or wherever the job was located, but was home most nights.

When Jerry’s dad died in 1972, he bought his dad’s Case tractor and started renting farmland around Dodge Center. He farmed for several years but realized that farming and construction both liked sunshine and it was hard to keep up both. He sold his machinery in 1999, but had actually quit farming a few years before.

Jerry retired in 2000 and then worked, part-time, for Greenway Cooperative, hauling anhydrous tanks in spring and fall. Jerry and Karen bought their “up north” house in 2001 and made several trips each year to Nevis, MN. That “fun” ended in 2017 when they put the house on the market and it sold in 2 days. His boat sold and his fishing days were done.

Jerry was an active Usher at Faith Lutheran Church, on the Church Council, Building and Grounds Committee, Wise Guys and recycling pop cans for World Hunger.

Survivors include his wife, Karen; Children, Scott married to Becky, David married to Shannon and Susan married to Duane; granddaughter, Breanna; great-grandson, Elijah; brother Leroy and wife Linda and sister-in-law Jean. In laws include Kay and Howard Anderson, John and Tina Mogen, Lucy and William Monahan and Jim and Monica Mogen

He was preceded in death by his parents, 2 sisters - Betty and Marian (Clifford) Hensrud, 2 brothers - Lawrence (Marion) and Ernie Ingvaldson.

Visitation will be 1:00-2:00 p.m. Friday, September 20, 2019 at Faith Lutheran Church, 308 2 ^nd Street NW in Dodge Center. The memorial service will be at 2:00 p.m. with Reverend Lisa Carlson officiating.

In lieu of flowers the family prefers memorials to Faith Lutheran Church or Alzheimer's Association.

To share a special memory or condolence please, visit www.czaplewskifuneralhomes.com Czaplewski Family Funeral Homes, 25 South Street SW Dodge Center, MN 55927 (507)374-2155.

Blessed be his memory.