Gary L. Jorgensen

Gary Jorgensen, 73, died peacefully, with his family present, on Friday, November 4, 2011 at the Dougherty Hospice House, Sioux Falls. Funeral services will be at 11:00am Wednesday, November 9, 2011 at the Harmony Presbyterian Church, Hurley with burial in the Hurley Cemetery. Visitation will be with family present on Tuesday from 6-8:00pm at the Hofmeister-Jones Funeral Chapel, Hurley. Gary L. Jorgensen was born on June 18, 1938 on the family farm in rural Viborg to Fred and Anna (Mellegaard) Jorgensen. Gary lived all his life in the Hurley area where he grew up and was educated, graduating from Hurley High School in 1956. Gary joined the Army in November of 1956 where he was first stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado. He was lated stationed at Fort Myer Headquarters, Arlington, Virginia where he proudly served in the Presidential Honor Guard. His duties there were to escort dignitaries throughout the Washington, DC area as well as to serve as a member of the Old Guard Funeral Detail. After his military service, Gary returned to the Hurley area. On January 13, 1962 he was united in marriage to Edith Jacobs at Parker, SD. Gary began employment with the Dakota Cooperative Telephone Company, Irene, SD in 1976 where he continued to work for 23 years. He retired from Dakota Telecommunications Group as a Field Technician on March 1, 1999, serving the Parker area. Gary was received into membership by baptism on May 17, 1987 at the Harmony Presbyterian Church, Hurley where he remained a faithful member. Gary loved the outdoors with a special love for fishing, camping, watching wildlife, and enjoying the beauty nature offered. He loved watching and feeding birds, especially during the cold winter months always making sure the feeders were full. He enjoyed yard and garden work and handy man projects around the house and yard. Most of all he treasured time spent with his family. Gary received much enjoyment watching his grandchildren grow and taking part in their school and sport activities. Grateful for having shared his life are his wife Edith; their three children, Lynn (Jodi) Jorgensen, Tea, Jacki (Ken) Blumenauer, Brandon, and Cindy (Tony) Ciampa, Hurley; 5 grandchildren, Megan (Daryl) Peterson, Andrea Wetering, Derek Jorgensen, Tyler Jorgensen, Kaylee Ciampa; 4 great grandchildren, Ava, Marcus, Gabriel, and Zayden; a sister Dorothy Allen, Hurley; and sister in laws, Wilhelmina Jorgensen, Carol Jorgensen, and Irene Jorgensen. He was preceded in death by his parents Fred and Anna, a sister Lorna Andersen, brothers Milton, Maurice, Dean and Dale, and brother and sister in laws, Edward Andersen, Hubert Allen, and Virginia Jorgensen.