Gerald 'Jerry' Hagemeister, 87, Fessenden, passed away Sunday, July 22, 2018 at Sanford Health in Bismarck. His funeral will be held Thursday, July 26, 2018 at 10:30 A. M. at the First Lutheran Church in Fessenden with burial at the Hillside Cemetery of Fessenden. Visitation will be held Wednesday from 3 P.M. to 6 P.M. at the Nelson Funeral Home in Fessenden.

Gerald Hagemeister, son of Ernest and Sarah (Haedt) Hagemeister, was born April 30, 1931, in Harvey, ND. He lived his first years on the family farm northwest of Manfred and began school at the Manfred Public School. In 1942 the family moved to a farm northeast of Cathay where Gerald grew up and began working with his father and brothers on the farm. He attended Cathay High School, graduating in 1949.

In 1951, he entered the United States Navy and served his country during the Korean War. Upon receiving his honorable discharge in 1954, he returned to the Cathay area. He worked on his brother-in-law, Robert Walz's farm for a few years before purchasing a farm southeast of Fessenden. In addition to farming and raising turkeys, Gerald also continued his education at the North Dakota Agricultural College, now NDSU, in Fargo and received a B.S. Degree in Agricultural Economics.

On June 18, 1961, Gerald was united in marriage to Loraine Smestad in Harvey. They made their home on the Hagemeister farm southeast of Fessenden where they continued to farm and raise large numbers of turkeys. Shortly after Lorraine's death in 1992, Gerald retired from farming, but had continued to help his sons with the family farming operation since.

On December 27, 1994, Gerald was married to Patricia 'Pat' Kirkeide in Fessenden, where they made their home. Pat passed away February 2, 2009.

Gerald was a member and past board member of the First Lutheran Church in Fessenden. He was also a member of the Frank Proisl American Legion Post #33 of Fessenden. He served on a number of boards including, the Farm Credit Services of Northwest North Dakota Board, the Wells County Aging Council, the Farmers Union County Board, the St. Aloisius Hospital Board and the Lutheran Home of the Good Shepherd Foundation Board.

Gerald enjoyed traveling, gardening, woodworking, being the neighborhood fix-it guy, helping his children and grandchildren with projects around their homes, and buzzing around town on his red scooter. He enjoyed his last several winters at his home in Arizona.

He is survived by his sons and daughters-in-laws, Jerome (Jennifer) Hagemeister and Mark (Erin) Hagemeister of rural Fessenden; 5 grandchildren, Leah, Brock, April, Jacob and Annika; 2 sisters, Margaret Walz of Phoenix, AZ and Muriel Marchus of Fessenden and his special friend, Marylou Krause.

Gerald was preceded in death by his wives, Loraine and Pat; his parents; 1 sister, Alice Seibold; and 2 brothers, Morris and Donald.

Online condolences may be shared at nelsonfuneralhomesnd.com.