Jerome “Jerry” Paquette
An 81 year old resident of Prior Lake, Jerome Charles Paquette, entered eternal peace with his family present at his Minnesota Veteran’s Home bedside, on Wednesday, September 17, 2014. The Mass of Christian Burial will be on Monday, September 22, 2014 at 11 am, with visitation one hour prior to the mass, all at the Church of St. Michael 16311 Duluth Avenue SE, Prior Lake, MN. Father Tom Sieg will preside and his grandchildren will be the urn bearers. Jerry will be will be laid to rest at St. John Cemetery, Savage, MN, with full military honors provided by the Prior Lake V.F.W. Honor Guard.
Jerry was born on December 26, 1932 in Faribault, MN. He was the 6 th of 8 children of Effie and Eugene Paquette. He never ran out of interesting stories to tell of his school years, and life on the farm with his siblings. He graduated from Bethlehem Academy in 1952.
Jerry joined the Army after High School and was a medical specialist at Madigan Army Hospital in Tacoma, WA. He attended DeVry Technical Institute in Chicago and graduated in 1956 as an Electronic Technician. Back in Minneapolis, he began a career in the computer field and tells many tales of his bachelor days. On a fateful blind date in 1959, he met the love of his life, Donna Wilfahrt. After a 9 month courtship, Jerry and Donna were wed on June 11, 1960 at Holy Trinity Cathedral in New Ulm, MN.
Jerry and Donna’s first home was in S. Minneapolis. They moved to Bloomington in 1963, and in 1964 Jerry embarked on a 25 year career at the Control Data Corporation where he worked on the development and testing of early-age computers. A transfer at work moved the family to Redwood Falls in 1966. During these years Jerry and Donna were blessed with four children: Julie 1961, Robert 1962, Cherie 1965, and James 1969. The family moved into a Bloomington home in 1972, then Hutchinson in 1977 for a year, then moved permanently to Prior Lake.
Jerry loved camping, fishing, hunting, time with family and friends, cards, and parties. He loved cars, working on and fixing things, collecting things, and going to sales and auctions. He may have owned two of everything. More than anything, Jerry loved his family. He always put the needs of others before his own. He always looked at things from a positive viewpoint, and was thankful for what he had, and never took himself too seriously. No one ever heard Jerry complaining. A day did not pass without a funny joke, story, or fun event. Many great memories were made camping with the family, on regional road trips, and an unforgettable family Motorhome trip to Disneyworld in 1979.
By 1987, all of Jerry and Donna’s children were out of the home and college bound. Jerry took early retirement from Control Data in 1989. He continued to work several part time jobs over the next ten years. Jerry and Donna loved to travel and had the opportunity to travel all over the planet, including Alaska, Hawaii, Japan, London, Germany, Jamaica.
Jerry witnessed all four of his children getting married and establishing families of their own. He and Donna were blessed with 6 grandchildren. Jerry loved to spend time with the grandkids, he never tired of goofing around, acting silly, and making others laugh.
In 2000, Jerry and Donna had a terrific celebration for their 40 th Wedding Anniversary. Later that year Jerry suffered his first stroke and this began a long and difficult road as his health declined. Jerry was able to stay at his home, with caring support from Donna, for over five years. By 2006 Jerry had suffered two additional strokes and needed facility level care. He moved to the Veteran’s Home and resided there until the time of his death. Right up to the end Jerry never stopped making an impression on people, cracking jokes and always sharing his contagious smile. He will be dearly missed by all.
Left to honor Jerry’s life and mourn the death is his wife of 54 years, LaDonna; children, Julie (Tom Torkelson) Peterson, Robert (Joan) Paquette, Cherie (Wally) McCullough, James (Stacie) Paquette; grandchildren, Evan Peterson, Victoria Paquette, Michael Paquette, Andrew McCullough, Ryan McCullough, Cassie Paquette; siblings, Mike (Jean) Paquette, Eunice Blesener, Rosie Purfeerst, Marion Madigan; brother-in-law, Richard Hanley; and other loving relatives and friends
Preceded in death and there to welcome Jerry home in heaven is his parents, Eugene and Effie; brother, Donald (Mildred) Paquette; sisters, Joan (Donald) Cashin, Kathleen Hanley.
Ballard-Sunder Funeral and Cremation, Prior Lake Chapel, proudly served and cared for the Paquette family. 952-447-2633 www.ballardsunderfuneral.com
