Gerald Anderson

Gerald "Jerry" Austin Anderson
May 13, 1932 – March 23, 2026
Gerald "Jerry" Austin Anderson passed away peacefully on March 23, 2026, just weeks shy of his 94th birthday. Born in Minneapolis, he spent most of his life in the Twin Cities, leaving behind a legacy as rich and full as the long life he lived.

Jerry was a man of many passions. Golf was perhaps his greatest love — a pursuit he dedicated himself to with enough devotion to achieve the golfer's holy grail: a hole in one. He was equally at home behind the wheel, thinking nothing of a 16-hour drive straight through to Lyons, Colorado to visit his son Mike, and he could recite every turn of the route from memory. In quieter moments, you'd find him at the cribbage table or in a hand of gin, a pastime that stayed with him nearly to the end. He won more than his share of tournaments over the years, and while a 29-point hand may have remained elusive, his enjoyment of the game never wavered. Family camping and fishing trips were a staple of his children's childhoods — though the kids will note, with some affection and lingering grievance, that they were always the ones stuck cleaning the fish.

Jerry served his country during the Korean War, an experience that shaped him deeply and informed the person he became. He was a man of intellect and range, building a career that moved through speech therapy, insurance, and substitute teaching in Anoka as well as time dedicated to the MN State Department of Education before he found what may have been his true calling — working on golf courses in retirement. It was, in many ways, the job he was always meant to have.

He was a charming and handsome man with a sharp wit and a lifelong commitment to his Democratic values. In his later years he earned the title of curmudgeon fair and square, though his family humored him with love. He was married three times — to Barbara, Cathy, and Toni — and fathered four children who were the pride of his life.

At nearly 94, Jerry had outlived his parents, his siblings, many dear friends, and his last wife, Toni Steckler Anderson. He is survived by his children Paula, Jeff, Mike, and Jared; Jared's wife Teresa; and three grandsons, Jackson (from Paula), Liam and Noah (from Jared and Teresa), who will carry pieces of him forward.

Peace be with him.