Gerald Derr Obituary

Gerald Paul Derr, 71, of Colorado Springs, CO, and formerly of Mohall, ND; died Wednesday, August 23, 2006 at a Denver hospital. He was born April 4, 1935 in Lansford, ND to Ray and Edith (Humphrey) Derr. Following the divorce of his parents, he was raised by his sister and her husband, Carole and Vernon Asheim. He graduated from Mohall High School in 1954, and married Marlene Allen April 2, 1954 in Mohall. He worked for businesses in Mohall and for a seismograph crew. He also worked for 18 years in the oil fields. He farmed, ranched and had his own commercial grain cleaning in North Dakota, and also worked as a heavy equipment operator. They moved to Kansas in 1987 where he was a heavy equipment operator until 1993 when he retired. They returned to Mohall in 1997 where he worked at Sundahl's Service, was a custom combiner and also enjoyed fishing. In 2003, they moved to Colorado to be near their family. Gerry worked as a host at the Teller County Fairgrounds and was a porter at the Colorado Grande Casino in Cripple Creek, CO. Spending time with his children and grandchildren, and fishing, brought him much enjoyment. Gerry was a member of Ascension Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, and a former member of Zion Lutheran Church, Mohall, a past Master of the Mohall Masonic Lodge, a past President of the Mohall Jaycees and was a 4-H leader in North Dakota, Kansas and Colorado. Family: wife, Marlene Derr; children, Gerriann (Jim) Larson, and Jim Derr, all of Colorado Springs, CO; David (Sheila) Derr, Lee's Summit, MO; John (Lori) Derr, Bottineau, ND; and Matthew (Ann) Derr, Colorado Springs; 10 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren, brothers and sisters, Wilma (Rudy) Belcourt, Grand Forks, ND; Don (Elda) Derr, Wheatridge, CO; Carole Asheim and Peg Oss, both of Mohall, ND; Ken (Maybelle) Derr, Kansas City, MO; Len (Margaret) Derr, St. Louis, MO; Kathy (Ed) Haug, Grand Forks, ND; sisters-in-law: Joan (Francis) Caussyn, Casa Grande, AZ; Gloria (Gerry) Crawford, Silverdale, WA; and several nieces and nephews. Gerry was preceded in death by his parents, sister, Lillian Larson; special brother-in-law, Vernon Asheim; and grandson, Thomas J. Derr. Memorial Service: Friday at 10:30 a.m. at Ascension Lutheran Church, 2505 North Circle Drive, Colorado Springs, CO Interment: Mohall Community Cemetery, Mohall, ND