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Engen, Gerald Truman 1943 - 2022

ENGEN, VICK, ANDERSON, NEUMAN, HALUPTZOK, FARNSWORTH, ERDMANN, BENNEK, VOLD, ROHER, HJELMELAND, LEISTIKOW, DESLOOVER, STORCH, PETERSON, BARBER, PEKINOVSKY, WANGSNESS, GULLICKSON, ROWIN, BARTKOSIAK

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 7/1/2022 at 11:46:44

U.S. Veteran

Gerald Engen, age 78, passed away on June 24, 2022, at his home in Lindstrom, Minnesota.

Visitation will be held Friday, July 1, 2022, from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at Helms Funeral Home, 604 South Ave, Decorah, Iowa. All are welcome to the VFW Post 1977, 104 State St, Decorah after the visitation.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, July 2, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. at the Madison Lutheran Church, 2658 Madison Road, Ridgeway, Iowa with interment to follow at the Madison Lutheran Church Cemetery. There will be a celebration of life held in Minnesota later this summer, details to come and will be posted at www.grandstrandfh.com.

Gerald (Jerry) Truman Engen was born December 13, 1943 in Decorah, Iowa, the eldest child of Truman and Gladys (Vick) Engen. Jerry was baptized and confirmed at the Madison Lutheran Church in rural Decorah.

Jerry attended a one-room country school through 8th grade, a time that brought him fond memories. He went on to Decorah High School and graduated in 1962. Jerry was looking forward to his 60-year class reunion this fall and enjoyed the fellowship of his classmates over the years.

After high school, Jerry enlisted in the United States Army. He completed basic training in Fort Leonard Wood-Missouri and spent time serving in Fort Hood-Texas, Korea and Fort Belvoir-Virginia.

While on leave, he married his sweetheart, Lorna Mae Anderson of Ridgeway, Iowa on April 19, 1964. Together they had 3 children, Crystal, Ceann and Jason. Jerry and Lorna recently celebrated 58 years of marriage.

Jerry and Lorna lived in Decorah in the early years of their marriage. A work opportunity brought the family to Cedar Rapids, Iowa where they lived for six years. Jerry was then asked to start a new branch of the company up in the Minneapolis area and commuted back and forth for almost 9 months while he established the business and prepared to move his family up north. Within a year of starting this branch of the company, Jerry and Lorna purchased the branch and began their own business venture. Engen Power Products was a thriving forklift battery and charger distributor and service shop for many decades. Jerry was well-respected and admired by his employees, clients and even competitors.

Jerry had many interests and activities throughout the years. In his younger days, you would find him at the racetrack driving stock cars. Jerry enjoyed playing softball, bowling, fishing, playing cards and playing pool. He was quite the pool shark and even won a celebrity/charity pool tournament. Salmon fishing trips, Nascar races and many, many cruises kept them traveling frequently.

Jerry spent many years as the Scoutmaster of Troop 522 in Blaine, Minnesota. He devoted himself to the training and education of his scouts. Jerry took them on numerous camping outings to many places, including the Boundary Waters and many special events, including Blaine’s Blazin’ 4th .

Jerry enjoyed spending time with family and friends and attending his kids and grandkids sporting and dance activities over the years. He was their biggest fan. Jerry loved family get-togethers and no distance was too far to travel. Jerry always had a smile on his face, was easy to talk with and was very loved. Family was everything to Jerry.

Jerry is survived by wife Lorna (Anderson) Engen; three children: Crystal (David) Neuman, Ceann Haluptzok, Jason Engen; grandchildren: Nicole (Wes) Farnsworth, Courtney (Tristan) Erdmann; Matthew Haluptzok, Justin Bennek, Kale (Breanna) Haluptzok, Brandon Haluptzok, Andrew (Amy) Vold, John Neuman, Jeremy Neuman; great-grandchildren: Henry Haluptzok, Faye Erdmann, Theo Haluptzok, Bennett Haluptzok. Siblings: Sharon (Dale) Roher, Linda Hjelmeland (Don Leistikow), Vince (Carolyn) Engen Sister -in-law Helen (Garry) DeSloover and brothers-in-law Helen (Pete) Storch, Karon Anderson, Verne (Marianne ) Anderson, Jeanne (Mark) Peterson, Ila (Rick) Barber and many loving nieces and nephews.

Jerry is preceded in death by his parents: Truman Engen, Gladys (Vick) Engen Pekinovsky; step-father: Donald Pecinovsky; father and mother-in-law: Henry and Norma (Wangsness) Anderson; brother: David Engen; sister-in-laws: Judy (Spilde) Engen, Diane (Bergan) Anderson; brother-in-laws: Norm Gullickson, Norvin Anderson, Wayne Anderson, Carl Hjelmeland; niece: Cindy Anderson; grand-nephews: Casey Rowin, Ian Bartkowiak and grand-niece: Ashlyn Barber; extended family: Randy Nankivil and Dennis Aeschlimann.

Source: Helms Funeral Home database

Madison Lutheran Cemetery
 

Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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