Gerald Lee Pommer, 73, Ellsworth, died peacefully at Helping Hands Assisted Living in Brandon, South Dakota, on Saturday Dec. 18, 2021.
A funeral service is at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 21, at Zion Presbyterian Church in Ellsworth with visitation one hour prior to the service. Burial will be at Grand Prairie Cemetery following the service.
Gerald Pommer was born March 23, 1948, to Lester and Darlene (Larson) Pommer in Adrian. He was baptized at Zion Presbyterian Church in Ellsworth, where he remained an active member throughout his life.
He graduated from Ellsworth High School in 1966 and then joined the Air National Guard. He was stationed in San Antonio, Texas, and Lowry, Colorado. He continued his education, obtaining a degree in electronics from Dunwoody Institute in 1969. After graduating from college, Gerald moved to Rochester to work for IBM until 1972 when he returned to the family farm just north of Ellsworth.
In 1982 Gerald married Linda McGinty, and the couple made their home on the farm. They raised two daughters, and Gerald loved teaching them how to drive a tractor, work with tools, change oil/tires, and how to care for their many animals.
He loved working on the farm and raised Black Angus cattle, pigs, goats, sheep, horses and several farm dogs, mostly corgis. In 2014 Gerald retired from farming and later moved to Helping Hands Assisted Living in Brandon, South Dakota. He was very appreciative of the staff and enjoyed sharing his many jokes with them.
Gerald was an active member of the Zion Presbyterian Church in Ellsworth throughout his life. He served as an elder and a deacon in the church He was a very hard-working but easy-going and patient person, always looking for ways to help those around him. He admired old tractors and cars.
The family spent many summers on Lake Shetek fishing, boating, and water skiing. Gerald enjoyed traveling, attending county fairs, listening to piano music and church hymns, and watching his favorite football teams, the Vikings and the Bears. His favorite thing to do, though, was spend time with his family.
Gerald is survived by his daughters, Julie (Tony) Lanoue of Garretson, South Dakota, and Ann Pommer of Brandon, South Dakota; three grandchildren, Abigail, Gerald, and Hannah Lanoue of Garretson; and siblings Bernie (Marilyn) Pommer of Ellsworth, Janice (Larry) Heidebrink of Adrian, Shirley Huiskes of Luverne, and Carol (Tim) Chapa of Ellsworth; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother-in-law, Dave Huiskes.
Arrangements were provided by Hartquist Funeral Home of Luverne, hartquistfuneral.com.
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