Jerrold "Jerry" Gusaas

Jerry Gusaas, 61, Bismarck, died on January 21, 2009, at St. Alexius Hospital after a struggle with cancer. Services will be held at 1:00 pm Saturday at Faith Lutheran Church, Bismarck, with Rev. Wes Aardahl officiating. Burial will be held in Mandan Union Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 6:30 pm until 9:00 pm Friday at Eastgate Funeral Service, Bismarck, where a prayer service will begin at 7:00 pm. Jerrold D. Gusaas was born on May 1, 1947, in Valley City. He was the son of Harry and Eileen Gusaas. He attended Plano Country School and Marion Elementary School and graduated from Marion High School in 1965. Jerry went on to attend the University of North Dakota—Ellendale Branch, graduating in 1969 with a degree in Industrial Arts. Jerry began his career in the Bismarck Public Schools as an Industrial Arts instructor, and track and cross-country coach at Wachter Junior High School until 1976. For the next fourteen years, he taught building trades at the Bismarck Vocational Center. Jerry became the coordinator for the high school vocational programs in 1990 and was the director of the Facilities and Transportation Department for the Bismarck Public Schools between 1995 and his retirement in June 2004. Jerry was an active member of many educational, professional, and community organizations. He was a long-time member of the Faith Lutheran Church, where he served on the Parish Education Committee and Property and Management Committee. Jerry married Sharlene Garman in Ellendale on August 3, 1969. They were blessed to have three sons—Jason, Cory, and Joey. Jerry loved spending time with family and friends, sharing fishing stories and creating great memories. He had a passion for fishing, hunting, and the outdoors. The family enjoyed spending summers at the lake with their many friends. Since retirement, Jerry and Sharlene have enjoyed spending time in Mazatlan and traveling to see their children and grandchildren. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Sharlene; three sons, Jason Ainsley, of Silverthorne, Colorado; Cory Sarah, and their children, James and Eleanore, of Darby, Montana; and Joey, Bismarck; parents, Harry and Eileen Gusaas, Jamestown; one sister, Nancy Jerry Fuchs, Jamestown; sister-in-law Joletta Gusaas, Ellendale; his mother-in-law, Esther Garman, Ellendale; aunts, cousins, nephews, a niece, and an uncle. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Dale and James, his grandparents, and a nephew.

Jerrold "Jerry" Gusaas

May 1, 1947 - January 21, 2009