To view a livestream of the service please access www.firstlutheran.tv
A delayed streaming of the graveside service can be viewed the following day by accessing https://www.mtmsales.net/thomas

To view the flowers from Gerald's service, click here: Gerald Koland Flowers

Gerald Ronald Koland, Minot, died of cancer on August 25, 2021, at the age of 77. His last days were under the compassionate care of Hospice in the Community Living Center of the VA hospital in Fargo, ND.

"Jerry" was born October 3, 1943, in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, the second of four children born to Louis Koland and Bessie (Halle) Koland.

After WWII the family made their home in Bottineau, ND and that is where Jerry grew up and attended school and First Lutheran Church. He graduated from Bottineau High School in 1961.

While in high school he worked for his dad who owned Koland Incorporated, a Butler steel buildings, grain bins, and grain handling systems construction company.

He attended some college at UND and took some college classes in California before joining the US Navy in 1964.  During the Vietnam War he was an Aviation Electronics Technician who sailed 3 cruises with VA164 (Ghostriders) on CV/CVA 34, USS Oriskany, an Essex class aircraft carrier before his honorable discharge in 1968.

Jerry was once married to Sharon Bailey and one daughter was born to this union. Becoming a father was a great joy to him.

Selling life insurance was his occupation for a while; he worked for Xerox for 2 years, but he soon went back to the pre-engineered steel building construction business he had first worked with his father. For the next 36 years, he worked in this field eventually as the General Superintendent on large projects for North Star Steel in Minot, Williston, and Rapid City (eleven years) M A Mortenson in Grand Rapids, MN, and eighteen years with Butler Construction (Bucon) out of Kansas City MO until his retirement in 2012.

Jerry married Judy (Nelson) Hannesson March 25, 1981. Being a stepdad to her boy and girl was a bonus. When he and Judy became empty-nesters, his employment with Bucon allowed the couple to work together and travel extensively in their 5 ^th wheel for many years.  She was also employed by Bucon as the job clerk. He oversaw jobsites in 17 states as well as China, France, and Scotland.

Twenty years ago, they purchased a townhouse in Green Valley, AZ for winter getaways. He attended First Lutheran Church in Minot and Desert Hills Lutheran Church in Green Valley.

Gerald was a voracious reader. Especially spy/thrillers and western novels. He had library cards from public libraries all over the nation. Other activities that lasted a lifetime were bowling, golf, swimming, card games and cribbage.  Until his recent decline in health he was still swimming in the mornings and doing crossword and sudoku puzzles. And, of course, making puns and cracking jokes to the end.

Gerald is survived by his wife of 40 years, Judy, daughter, Stacey (Jay) Knoebel, Hammond, WI, stepdaughter, Pam Albright, Minot, ND, stepson, Brad Hannesson, Fargo, ND, grandchildren: Jack and Samantha Knoebel, step grandchildren: Alexandra and Juleah Roll.  Abigayle and Noah Hannesson, step great-granddaughters: Isabella Roll and Ryleigh and Reese Hess, sisters, Janet (Ron) Houle of The Villages, FL and Sharon Koland of Columbia, MO. Nieces, a nephew, and cousins also survive.

Gerald is preceded in death by his parents, brother David Koland, mother-in-law Thelma Huizenga, step granddaughter, Veronique Roll, brother-in-law, Rich Nelson, sister-in-law, Connie Nelson Hunter and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

Funeral service: 11:00 a.m. Thursday, September 9, 2021, at First Lutheran Church, Minot. To view a livestream of the service please access www.firstlutheran.tv
Graveside Service with military honors: 12:00 p.m. Friday, September 10, 2021, at the ND Veterans Cemetery, rural Mandan, ND. A delayed streaming of the graveside service can be viewed the following day by accessing https://www.mtmsales.net/thomas
Memorials and sympathy cards may be sent to the family at PO Box 1685, Minot, ND 58702