Jerome "Jerry" Loegering

On the afternoon of Monday, March 31, 2025, Jerome “Jerry” Anthony Loegering, age 92, of Barnesville, MN, passed away of natural causes at home, surrounded by his loving family.

Jerry Loegering was born October 15, 1932, on The Bagg Farm, one of the last remaining bonanza farms in the U.S. and now a National Historical Landmark, in Richland County, ND. He was the son of Herman and Mary (May) Loegering.

Jerry was a graduate and valedictorian of the Brampton (ND) High School Class of 1950. That same year, he began his education at Ellendale Normal Teachers College. In 1951, he began his first teaching job in a one-room schoolhouse in Geneseo, ND, before being drafted into the U.S. Army in 1953. Jerry served during the Korean War from 1953 to 1955 and in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1955 to 1961. In 1955, he returned to Ellendale to finish his teaching degree.

On June 10, 1960, Jerry was united in marriage to Nancy Schmallen. They were blessed with three children, John, Mike, and Ann.

Both in and out of the classroom, Jerry was the ultimate teacher. In 1957, he began his long-term career teaching chemistry, physics, math, biology, and several other subjects in Barnesville. He retired in 1993. His coaching career spanned 68 years, beginning with a 17-year stint in 1958 as the assistant track coach. In 1975, he started the girls golf program and served as head coach until 2014. Even after this second “retirement,” Jerry continued to be involved with the girls golf program through 2024. He enjoyed sharing his love of golf and spoke proudly and often of “his golf girls.”

Jerry also supported athletes and students in various ways, including as a Firearm Safety Instructor for 30 years, a referee for the junior high football and basketball programs, running the clock for all varsity sports, and as a line judge for varsity volleyball. He believed in supporting his students at ALL activities and truly believed that “they see you and it matters.”

As a child, Jerry learned his work ethic when they used horses for planting and other farm tasks. Eventually, they utilized tractors, and as a teenager, he did custom combining for Ernie Kurth in Britton, South Dakota. For many years, Jerry was the groundskeeper and clubhouse manager at Willow Creek Golf Course, and he also spent summers building houses and garages with a crew of other teachers.

Jerry enjoyed attending his grandchildren’s activities, hunting pheasants and ducks with his loyal companion, Chief, and numerous fishing trips to Devil’s Lake, ND, with his family. He also was very proud of the blue boat that he built by hand and subsequently used to teach his children to fish in the secret coves of Lake Olaf.

Jerry was celebrated in the 1956 Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. He was a nominee for Minnesota Teacher of the Year in 1970, and in 2014, he was inducted into the Barnesville High School Hall of Honor.

Jerry was a zealous rockhound and former president of the Agassiz Rock Club. He traveled the country collecting rocks, often arriving at a family member’s house, his van hundreds of pounds heavier than when he’d started the trip. He traveled locally to Barnesville, Crookston, Hawley, and Lake Park and across the country to his grandchildren’s schools in Ohio and shared his collections and love of rocks with their classes. He was known as “The Rock Guy” because he always had a pocketful of polished rocks to share with children. Even recently, he lit up when he brought part of his collection to the nursing home, where he promptly began teaching residents about his rock collection and polishing.

Jerry was also an avid eagle watcher. Multiple times a day, he would drive to Lawndale to check on his beloved eagles. He supplied the Barnesville Record-Review with many photographs that were published in the newspaper.

Jerry was a member of the Knights of Columbus, VFW, American Legion, Cogswell Rod and Gun Club, and Assumption Catholic Church.

Jerry is survived by his sons, John (Lisa) Loegering, Crookston, MN; Mike (Tammy Cossette) Loegering, Lake Park, MN; his daughter Ann (Thad) Ness, Hobe Sound, FL; grandchildren, Luke (Ryan Clift) Loegering, Columbus, OH; Isaac Loegering, Seattle, WA; Anthony (Kara) Loegering, Lake Park, MN; Donnie (Princess Lim) Loegering, Fargo, ND; Kenny (Kelly) Ness, Westerville, OH; Rachel Ness, Winsted, MN; Jake (Morgan Aakre) Knutson, Lake Park, MN; Austin (Katie) Stevens, Lake Park, MN; Kylie (Hunter Cukla) Stevens, Lake Park, MN; great-grandchildren, Kaleb and Elijah Ness, Westerville, OH; Marley and Myles Knutson, Lake Park, MN; Ilya Cukla, Lake Park, MN; siblings, Florence (Gary) Wegan, Harlingen, TX; Rosella Jangula, Fargo, ND; Angela Olson, Fargo, ND; Annette Bruns, Fargo, ND; Dennis (Carol) Loegering, Goodyear, AZ; George (Marilyn) Loegering, Casselton, ND; Sylvan (Marge) Loegering, West Fargo, ND; Julia Tschider, Fargo, ND; and Paul (Barbara) Loegering, Glyndon, MN; sister-in-law Anna Loegering, Jackson, MI and brother-in-law Albert Mikesh, Ligerwood, ND; and many nieces and nephews.

Jerry is preceded in death by his parents, Herman and Mary; brothers, Donald Loegering, and Fr. Leonard Loegering; brothers-in-law, Dick Lothspeich, Gerald Bruns, and Gordon Tschider; and sisters, Theresa Lothspeich and Agnes Mikesh.

Visitation for Jerry will be held on Friday, April 4, 2025, from 5:00-7:00 p.m., with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m. all at Assumption Catholic Church in Barnesville. Mass of Christian Burial will be Saturday, April 5, at 11:00 a.m. in the Barnesville High School Auditorium. Pallbearers will be his grandchildren. Honorary pallbearers will be all past and present Girls Golf Team members and all former students.

Arrangements entrusted to Korsmo Funeral and Cremation Service of Moorhead, MN. Online guestbook and condolences can be shared at www.korsmofuneralservice.com