Gerald "Jerry" Norman Just was born to the late Norvan and Violet (Dirks) Just in Storm Lake, Iowa on June 29, 1944. He was baptized into the Christian faith on February 16, 1947. He attended Okabena and Jeffers public elementary schools. At the age of 12, Jerry suffered from rheumatic fever which set him back academically. He couldn't finish his eighth-grade year and began farming full time with his father on The Just Farm in Bingham Lake. Jerry worked hard, loved hard, and enjoyed the tender, humble things in life. He was honored to care for and tend to the farm and their livestock with his father. He was able to make a lifetime legacy doing what he loved.

One spring day, Jerry met Linda Jane Leopold. They began dating and after only three months, Jerry proposed but was denied. He didn't give up. A few months later, in September, he asked again. She said yes and they were united in marriage on November 30, 1968, at Bethany Lutheran Church in Storden, Minnesota. Their union was blessed with four children, Sarah, Brad, Joe, and Gretchen.

Jerry loved being a father. He always took time to help them ride their bikes, make a sledding track, and having dinner with the family. He loved Linda's cooking and was very proud of his children as they all became amazing cooks too. The children would race to the table to take their seat next to dad. He would begin meals with his infamous table prayer was "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, whoever eats fastest gets the most! Amen." Jerry enjoyed their baking just as much, loving special treats such as sugar cookies, lefse, krumkake, and kringels.

When the kids were old enough to work alongside their dad, they would join him in the field. There they would listen to his Ole & Lina jokes, stories of driving fast cars, threshing bees and other life lessons like learning the value of farming or life lessons in general. Jerry was a great role model, showing how to communicate, love, and work hard. He would always say "If you're lucky in life you'll have one true friend and if you are even luckier you will marry them."

Later in life, he was honored to bear the title, Grandpa to ten and great grandpa to two. He loved babies and babies loved him. He could always find an excuse to nap with a child curled up in his lap. He followed his grandchildren as they grew, watching them play and learning about their hobbies and sharing his hobbies in return. He spent hours fishing, wood working, watching classic western films, gardening, and partaking in tractor shows – favoring red, of course. There wasn't much that Jerry didn't enjoy. As long as he was with Linda and his family, he was a happy man.

Gerald "Jerry" Just passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 24th, at Windom Area Health at the age of 79 years.

Jerry is survived by his wife of 55 years, Linda Jane Just; children, Sarah (Jeff) Koltveit of Cottage Grove, Brad Just of Delft, Joseph (Tricia) Just of Kimball, Gretchen (Mike) Smith of New Prague; grandchildren, Katie, Jacob, and Jerrilynn Koltveit, Mitchell, Nathan, and Isabelle Just, Olivia, Madalyn, Bella Rose, and Noah Smith; great-grandchildren, Elijah and Chase Just; sisters, Norine (David) Bockelman of Windom, Elaine Galbraith of Delft, Pat (Jim) Villwock of Aledo, TX; and other relatives and friends.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, Norvan and Violet Just; infant twin brothers, John and Joseph Just; sister, Norma Just; parents-in-law, Viola and Alton Leopold, Harold Derickson; brothers-in-law, Larry (Elaine) Bauer, David (Diane) Schwartz, Craig (Doris) Copley; and nephew, John Copley.

Blessed be the memory of Gerald "Jerry" Norman Just.

A Celebration of Life Service for Gerald "Jerry" Just, age 79, of Bingham Lake, will be held Tuesday, March 5, at 10:30 AM at Trinity Lutheran Church in Jeffers with Pastor Harvey Pederson officiating. Burial will be in the Jeffers City Cemetery with full military honors.

A time of visitation and gathering will be held on Monday, March 4th from 5:00 – 7:00 PM at the LaCanne Family Celebration of Life Center in Windom. Visitation will continue on Tuesday, March 5th from 9:30 – 10:30 AM at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Jeffers.