Gerald “Jerry” Shannon, 89, of Wahpeton, ND, passed away on Monday, September 21, 2020 at his home surrounded by his family.  Visitation will be held on Thursday, September 24, 2020 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Vertin-Munson Funeral Home in Wahpeton.  Visitation will continue at St. John’s Catholic Church in Wahpeton on Friday, September 25, 2020 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM, followed by his Mass of Christian Burial at 2:00 PM, with FR. Dale Lagodinski officiating.  A gathering celebrating Jerry’s life will be held at Prante’s following his service.  Burial and military honors will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2020 at 10:00 AM at Fairview Memorial Gardens, Wahpeton.  A live stream of his service can be viewed on the funeral home’s website.  Arrangements are entrusted to Vertin-Munson Funeral Home.

Gerald Wilbur Shannon was born on November 6, 1930 to Oliver and Marjorie (Carnicom) Shannon in Fremont, OH.  He grew up and attended school in Fremont where he was involved in track, football, and baseball, and graduated with the class of 1948.  After high school, he attended Kent State University and later Ohio State University where he played football.  He later joined the National Guard and was then drafted into the U.S. Army, serving in Korea.

Jerry was united in marriage to Jackie Richter on August 17, 1951.  He began his career working for his father-in-law at Great Western Sugar in Fremont. Jerry worked various jobs for Great Western in Colorado, Nebraska and Ohio, where he eventually became Plant Manager.  They finally moved to Wahpeton, ND, in 1973 where Jerry became the General Manager at Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative, eventually retiring in 1990 as President and CEO.  Jackie passed away on December 9, 2010.  Jerry was reunited in marriage to Barbara Pfister on June 17, 2016, and she later passed away on July 14, 2018.

Jerry enjoyed fishing and coaching baseball in his younger years and also enjoyed golfing, gardening and socializing.  His life revolved around sugar beets.  He was inducted into the Minn-Dak Hall of Fame, was given the Pioneer of the Year award, was a director of the Sugar Association Inc., was a member of the American Society of Sugar Beet Technologists and was past director of the Beet Sugar Development Foundation.  In addition to this, he was a member of the Elks, Bois de Sioux Golf Club, the Urban Renewal Board, the Wahpeton Chamber of Commerce, the Norwest Bank Board, and Blue Cross-Blue Shield of North Dakota.

Jerry is survived by his children, Steve (Julie) Shannon, Helena, MT, Kevin (Linda) Shannon, Wahpeton, Mike (Deb) Shannon, Littleton, CO, and Pam Moore, Wahpeton; his grandchildren, Cory (Lisa) Shannon and their children, Owen and Aaron, Rob (Katie) Shannon and their children, Keira, Kane, and Quinn, Richie (Ashley) Shannon and their children, Bryce and Olivia, Matt (Nichole) Shannon, Mark (Leslie Ortiz-Cruz) Shannon, and Michael (Raelyn Hughes) Moore; his brother-in-law and sisters-in-law, Rich and Sandy Richter, Mary Ellen Shannon and Ida Richter. We would like to recognize the support and friendship of Randy and Joan Pope.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Jackie Shannon; his second wife, Barbara Pfister-Shannon; his parents, Oliver and Marjorie Shannon; his sister, Carol Berlekamp; and his brother, John Shannon; brothers-in-law, Rolland Berlekamp, Larry Richter, Darwin Bliss; and sister-in-law, Joan Bliss.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice of the Red River Valley.

The family requests that everyone wear a mask to the visitation and funeral service.

Gerald "Jerry"'s Memorial Folder