Jerry Andresen, 74, Yakima, WA and formerly of West Seattle, WA, Minot and Lake Upsilon, ND died on Friday, February 15, 2019 in a Yakima, WA hospice home following a thirteen-month battle with brain cancer.

Jerry Buford Andresen was born on March 3, 1944 in Everett, WA to Arvid and Miriam (Weeks) Andresen. He was raised and educated in the Seattle, WA area and graduated from Western Washington University in Bellingham WA with a degree in Secondary Education with an emphasis in Art.

Jerry married Theresa Thomas on June 16, 1972 in Asperg, Germany. They were both educators with the Department of Defense Dependent Schools (DODDS) so were stationed throughout the world including but not limited to Stuttgart, Germany; Rota, Spain; Manama, Bahrain; Adana, Turkey; Catania, Sicily; and Vilseck, Germany. They retired from DODDS in 1994 and made their home in Minot where they continued to be employed as teachers. Jerry returned to Minot State University and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education and then was a highly sought-after substitute teacher in the Minot, St. John and Rolla School Systems.

Terri died on November 25, 1998 and Jerry had continued to reside in Minot during the winter, spring and fall and at Lake Upsilon during the summer months. He had moved to Yakima, WA in July of 2017 to be closer to his sister and her family.

Jerry's hobbies and special interests included art, reading, exercise, travel, watching movies, gourmet food, and crossword puzzles.

Jerry's loving family includes his sister: Pam Hottell of Yakima; brother: Gary (Kathy) Andresen of Harlingen, TX; nieces and nephews: Kevin (Gayle) Hottell, Kaylee (Rick) Rehn, Todd Hottell, Tanya (Rick) MacDermid, Tiffany (Darryl) Ley and several grand nieces and nephews, in-laws: Patricia (LaVerne) Hight of Minot, Peggy Gessner of Lake Upsilon, Marlene (Richard) McEntee of Arcadia CA, Kay Peterson of San Juan Capistrano CA, Mary Kranig of Elk Grove Village IL, Betty (Bob) Angus of Lakeville MN, Carla Thomas of Drake and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, wife, brother: Larry and brothers-in-law: Frank Hottell, Bill Thomas, Rick Thomas, Stoney Gessner, Ken Kranig and Ray Peterson.

A Celebration of Jerry's Life will take place on Saturday, August 31, 2019 from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. at the Gessner Lake Home on Lake Upsilon, ND.
Memorial Booksigning was held at the Thomas Family Funeral Home - Minot on Wednesday, May 22, 2019 from 3:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers and plants, memorials are preferred to the Stonewall Gessner Endowment Fund at the University of North Dakota or to the donor's choice.