Gerald Richard Jorgenson

Gerald Richard Jorgenson of Orem, Utah passed peacefully from this mortal life on February 12, 2025 after a hard and valiant battle with Congestive Heart Failure. Gerald was born on May 8, 1936, in a small adobe pioneer home in Ephraim, Utah to Richard Alma and Fern Larsen Jorgenson. Soon after his birth his family moved to a larger home built by his grandfather, located where the Snow College football field is today. This was something he took pride in and liked to share with others.
Gerald learned to work hard on the farm when very young, even driving a tractor when he was five years old. Gerald's father passed away unexpectedly when Gerald was 17 years old, which left the responsibility of a large dairy and farming land for him to run. He had to make the transition of being a teenager to becoming the head of the household, providing for a family consisting of his mother and five other children.
Gerald's work ethic was exceptional, and it continued throughout his life. The majority of his memories the last five years have been about the farm and the things he did to keep it going, indicating what a huge impact this experience had on his life.
Following graduation from Ephraim High School, Gerald continued operating the family dairy farm and attended Snow College. His mother sold the dairy cows, and Gerald served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Eastern States Mission from the fall of 1957 to the fall of 1959. While on his mission, he was able to participate in the Hill Cumorah Pageant, which left a powerful impression on him. He often would recount his pageant experience to his children and grandchildren. Upon returning home, he attended and graduated from Utah State University, graduating in 1961 with a degree in Agricultural Education. He taught Vocational Agriculture, Biology and World History at Spanish Fork High School for two years. In November of 1962, he met his wife, Peggy Kirk, through mutual friends and they were married on September 11, 1964 in the Salt Lake Temple.
Gerald then began his career with the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Manti, Utah where they lived for one year. He then worked in Roosevelt, Mt. Pleasant, Orangeville, and Orem for a total of 38 years with the NRCS.
Gerald and Peggy moved to Orem, UT in 1974 where they provided an idyllic and happy life for their six children. Gerald enjoyed serving in various callings in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He particularly appreciated his time serving as a High Councilor in a BYU YSA stake and serving as an ordinance worker in the Mount Timpanogos Temple.
Gerald is survived by his wife of 60 years, Peggy K. Jorgenson; his children: Teri Exeter (William), Kirk Jorgenson (Jenny), Jodi Nichols (Jim), Kristy Feller (Joseph), Brad Jorgenson (Jaime), and Amber Louw (Keith). He is also survived by 19 grandchildren and three brothers, Keith Jorgenson (Anna), Hurricane, UT; Mark Jorgenson (Paula) Moroni, UT; Darol Jorgenson, Ephraim, UT, and sister-in-law, Judy Kirk Atkinson, Pleasant Grove, UT.
He is preceded in death by his parents and his sisters, Beth Braithwaite, Julene Jorgenson & JoAnn Jorgenson.
A viewing will be held on Thursday, February 20, 2025 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Walker Sanderson Funeral Home located at 646 East 800 North, Orem.
Funeral Services will be held on Friday, February 21, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at the Canyon View Stake Center located at 575 East 800 North in Orem where a visitation will be held prior to the service from 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Interment will be in the Orem City Cemetery.
To view the Funeral Service for Gerald online please click this link. https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/index.php?data=MTczOTgyMDA2NjM1MDM2NCZvbmVyb29tLWFkbWluJmNvcHlfbGluaw==