Gerald Edmund Bollinger

1930 - 2017

Gerald Edmund Bollinger

Gerald Edmund Bollinger, b. 12/25/30, d. 03/20/17 in Sun Lakes, Arizona. Jerry or G.E. to his friends and family lived the majority of his life as a South Dakotan. During the first part of his life, he lived in eastern South Dakota, graduating from Cathedral High School in Sioux Falls, in 1948. While attending the University of South Dakota (USD)l, Jerry was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity and a USD Stroller. Jerry graduated from the USD in 1952 and attended the School of Law. His law education was interrupted by a stint in the U. S. Army stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia and later in Germany as a protocol officer. At USD he met Mary Jean Dunn, who flew over to Germany without family or friends to marry Jerry in 1954. Both he and Mary Jean graduated from USD in 1956. After getting stuck in Woonsocket, SD during a blizzard, Jerry went to work as lawyer in the Jamison Law Offices. During his life in Woonsocket, he maintained a private practice, was also Sanborn County State's Attorney, Woonsocket School Board attorney, and had a successful insurance agency. For many years Jerry served as the executive secretary of the South Dakota Water Well Drillers Association. Jerry also served as commander of the Woonsocket National Guard unit and was a member of St. Wilfrid's Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus. Jerry was a lifelong Republican and 50 year member of the SD Bar Association. Jerry loved the opera and theater, spending many years attending both the Phoenix Opera and the Phoenix Symphony. Along with the love the arts, Jerry was an avid hunter, golfer, card player, and Phoenix Suns fan. Jerry raised his 5 children in Woonsocket, Karen (Larry) Triem (AZ), Debra Bollinger (VA), Mark (Julie) (FL), Scott (Deb) (Pierre, SD), and Gregg (Joanne) Bollinger (MO) all graduates of USD. In 1981, Jerry sold his law practice and retired. Jerry and Mary Jean split their time between the family home in the Black Hills near Lead, SD and the Sun Lakes, AZ retirement community. After Mary Jean's death in 2008, Jerry split his time between Pierre, SD and Sun Lakes. Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, his daughter Karen, and many of his extensive family. Jerry is survived by his remaining children, seven grandchildren Alicia Triem Reidhead, Gerald T (Aly), Stephen (Katie), Patrick, Adam, Emily, and Erin Bollinger, three great grandchildren Alexis, Brittany, and Brooke Reidhead, and his wife Rose. Funeral arrangements are pending. Any memorials may be made to the William F. Bollinger Scholarship at the University of South Dakota Foundation or St. Wilfrid's Catholic Church in Woonsocket.