Jerry Garry

I remember my Dad heading off to his 50th High School reunion in Bridgewater and thinking I can’t imagine that. That was 1984.

I find it terribly interesting to read the history of the past 50 years of those of you who have taken the time to share your story. And if you find this biography a little too long, well you don’t have to read it.

Mine starts with heading off to SDSU in the fall of ’71 and teaming up with Roger King as my roommate for the next 5 years. There were plenty of O’Gorman faces around campus and it was always fun to run into them from time to time. Dorm roommates included Jim Reeve, Greg Johnson and Tim Borich.

Roger and I were/are folk guitar enthusiasts and with the folk guitar Mass popularity we became involved with the Catholic Newman Center immediately and participated regularly in the liturgies. The mediation songs we did from time to time might have been a spiritual stretch but nobody complained. “California Dreamin” had the words “stopped into a church” so we were good to go with that tune. A few eyes rolled.

Folk guitar music was also the rage for weddings and over our college career and for a number of years post-graduation, we estimated we sang in at least 100 weddings. I wish I would have kept tract of the number and at least kept a list of college friends we accommodated. The highlight of our wedding career was that we sang for a wedding Ricky Nelson was invited to. He was a no-show.

The middling fees we generated supplemented weekends downtown at Horts and Jim’s Tap.

I met Laurie the night before I graduated. Divine something I would guess. And of course, in a bar. Roger and I were celebrating my graduation over a number of beers in Jim’s Tap when a group of people he knew came walking in to celebrate the end of the semester. He introduced me to the group (which included Laurie Jorgensen) and ultimately to the rest of my life. I was a December graduate and Laurie, as a pharmacy major, wouldn’t graduate till May. We were married the following December in Brookings at the Newman Center by two of my best friends, Fr. Jerry Kroeger and Fr. Don Weisser.

We decided that after Laurie’s graduation we would move to the city of the first job offer. As I was far more flexible with alternatives as an Economics major, Laurie accepted a pharmacy position in Mitchell thinking we would stick it out for a couple years. 45 years later we’re still here and in the same home.

We raised two daughters both of whom followed their mother into pharmacy careers. Emily manages the oncology pharmacy at Avera McKennan, Sioux Falls. She married a pharmacist. I’m surrounded. She has 4 children. Billy, age 15, a sophomore at O’Gorman. Joseph, age 14, an eighth grader at O’Gorman. Rose, age 12, a sixth grader and Harrison age 6, a kindergartener.

Jody works for a pharmacy consulting firm that visits nursing homes doing drug interaction inspections. Jody lives outside Long Prairie, MN. Mason, age 12 is a 7th grader and Adeline, age 9, is a 5th grader. They attend school in Little Falls, MN.

As most of us feel – grandchildren are the greatest. Really great fun to watch them grow. All are very athletic and play musical instruments. Both of my Sioux Falls grandsons are not only terrific baseball players but made it into all State Band each year they were eligible. My granddaughter plays sax and is a terrific Irish dancer. My Minnesota grandchildren are wonderful piano players. My grandson plays a terrific game of golf and my granddaughter is devoted to dance.

Speaking of athletic, I cannot claim a single bone in my body is capable. One sport I did take up later in life, though, was down hill skiing and has been a passion ever since. We had a group of Mitchell guys that made annual trips to Terry Peak or Keystone, CO or Big Sky, MT. Unfortunately over time this team of skiers got to old, fat or died. So I moved on to my daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren. Our annual trip to the Terry Peak Condos on Stewart slope is the greatest time. Another team of “men only” skiers includes 3 of my Sioux Falls nephews, a son-in-law and assorted buddies of theirs. Big Sky, MT is the annual destination.

Another of my passions since moving to Mitchell in 1976 has been the development of a National Historic Landmark, the Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village, located on the shores of Lake Mitchell. The site is a 1000 year old hunting/farming community consisting of approximately 75 earth lodges. We incorporated as a non-profit in 1978 then set out to develop the site as an education/research center for the touring public. We began with the development of the Boehnen Memorial Museum and Visitors’ Center in 1982. We then elevated the site to world class research center with the development of the Thomsen Center Archeodome. The dome covers a small footprint of the site allowing for an interior excavation experience and research lab. Dr. Adrien Hannus, Augustana University has been our head research director since 1984. And Dr. Alan Outram, the University of Exeter, Exeter, England, has brought an archeology field school to the Archeodome each summer for the past 17 years. It’s worth checking out at www.mitchellindianvillage.org

And finally, a favorite pastime is woodworking. When I’m not shooting myself with an air-nailer or trying to lop off fingers on my table saw, I enjoy creating just about anything made of wood. We’ve also completely restored out 100 year old home inside and out.

Laurie is retired after 35 plus years with Avera Queen of Peace and I plan to continue going into my office at Dice Financial Services as I can’t stay busy enough in retirement, yet. Not worth a damn at golf or fishing.

Well those are the highlights in a nutshell. Here’s to the first 50 years since graduation. Hope you all stay healthy as long as possible. Cheers!!