Obituaries

Gerald Andersen Jepsen, 84, of Meckling, SD, passed away Monday, February 22, 2010, at his residence.

Gerald was born June 17, 1925 in Yankton, SD to Anna Sophia Andersen and Magnus Jepsen. He spent almost his entire life in the Meckling/Gayville area of South Dakota, graduating from Gayville High School in 1943. He served in the US Navy as a Shipfitter 3rd Class on the USS Winged Arrow Troop Ship from 1944-1946.

Gerald married Marianne Brandwein on April 23, 1949 in Chicago, IL. He was proud to be a life-long farmer. Gerald was a member of Gayville Lutheran Church, a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #3061 in Vermillion, SD, the Rudolph Christensen American Legion Post #237 in Gayville, SD, Farm Mutual Insurance Board, was a member of the Yankton Elks, and the American Legion Drum and Bugle Corp in which he played the cornet as a young boy.

Gerald and Marianne loved to go ballroom dancing with friends and relatives. After retiring from farming, they spent the winters in Texas and Arizona for several years. There they met many friends and went dancing as well. In Apache Junction, AZ, Gerald got involved in making jewelry.

Being a great welder all of his life, Gerald in his later years started to make crosses out of horseshoe nails along with larger crosses made with construction nails. He was pleased to share his crosses he soldered with many folks near and far. Another project he loved to be involved with, was helping make the flag poles for the Danish Lutheran Cemetery, each pole placed on Memorial Day, is in honor of a fallen local veteran.

Gerald enjoyed traveling to see his family in Kansas City, Hoover, AL, Minneapolis, MN, Wisconsin, and Illinois. His greatest joy was going to his many USS Winged Arrow Troop Ship navy reunions that were held in different cities all over the United States, especially the reunions held in Branson, MO.

He is survived by his wife, Marianne of Meckling; his daughters, Kathleen (Bob) Husby of Burnsville, MN, and their children, Keisha Husby of Duluth, MN and Tyler Husby (SDSU), Susan (Steve) Kimble of Kansas City, MO, and their children, Brian Kimble of Kansas City, and Brandon Kimble (UMKC), Robin (Tom) Bush of Hoover, AL, and their children, Jack Bush and Anna Bush; his step-grandsons, Corey and Tommy Bush; his son, Scott (Jeanne) Jepsen of Meckling, SD, and their children, Garrett Jepsen (UND) and Shannon Jepsen (SDSU); his sister, Sanna Iverson of Vermillion, SD; his brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Ed (Erna)Brandwein of Huntley, IL; many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Gerald was preceded in death by his parents, Magnus and Anna Jepsen; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Edward and Margaret (Opitz) Brandwein; his brother-in-law, Marlo Iverson.