Jerry D. Edelman
1941 - 2025
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Invite friends and family to read the obituary and add memories.
Jerry D. Edelman passed away October 23, 2025. He is preceded in death by his parents, Dae and Elmo and brother, Stephen. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Mary (Marquez); children, Kent (Sherry), Kevin (Jill) and Kim; grandchildren, Lucy, Natalie (Albert), Jake (Katie), Annie, and Tommy; great-grandchild Georgie Rosas. Also survived by siblings: Ronnie (Jean), Donna Wetzel, Connie (Bill) Elliot, Mike (Jane), sister-in-law Sharon and many nieces and nephews.
Jerry was born in Seneca, Nebraska on June 12, 1941. His early years were spent ranching, playing sports, competing in rodeos, fixing cars and keeping his parents and teachers on their toes. He graduated early from high school because he was smart, but also because the teachers wanted him out of there. After high school, he had no intention of going to college and went to work on a ranch with thoughts of joining the rodeo circuit. Legend has it that he had an epiphany while on horseback checking calves while the temperature was 20 below zero. He had an older sister in college and decided that college must be easier than this. And as it turns out, college was a great idea, because at Kearney State he met his match - a feisty and smart young Mexican woman named Mary. They met in the library where she was there to study, and he was there to meet her. They married in 1961.
After attending Kearney State, Jerry and his small family moved to Omaha for medical school, graduating in 1967. In 1968 he was drafted into the Army as an MD and served in the Vietnam War. Once he returned, he was a general practitioner until completing an anesthesiology residency at the Mayo Clinic in 1974. From Rochester, Jerry and his family moved to Omaha where he worked at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Department of Anesthesiology. He moved the family to Minnesota in 1983 to start the first free-standing same day surgery center in the Twin Cities with two friends from residency.
Jerry was a man of many talents and passions. He was a storyteller, pilot, rancher, gardener, biker, fisherman, garage saler and jewelry and pen maker. He liked to tinker in his pole barn – fixing things like his 18 weed wackers (bought at garage sales of course). He loved card games, buffets, country music, the Nebraska Cornhuskers, cars, and meeting for weekly coffee with friends.
After he retired, Mary and Jerry spent the winters in Tucson where they made great friends. In the summer, the focus was his garden. His gardening brought him much happiness. It also kept him out of the house which brought Mary much happiness. He was also an award-winning gardener, as his turnips placed third among the turnip entries at the Dakota County Fair (full disclosure: there were just two entries).
While Jerry had many passions in life, his greatest passion was his family. As a father he was unselfish and caring, wanting a better life for his family. In 1990 Jerry’s life changed as he became a grandpa. His five grandchildren were the apples of his eye. He was never happier than when he was with them – picking veggies in the garden, fishing and boating at the cabin, playing games and sledding at the Jordan house. He loved his little “ankle biters” and was so proud of the adults they have become. We were grateful that he spent time getting to know his great-granddaughter Georgie.
Jerry was notoriously frugal and at the same time, very generous. Parkinson’s disease and a traumatic brain injury plagued his final years but he was loved and cared for with Mary always by his side.
A special thanks to Matt, Aida, Sem, the staff at the Commons on Marice, his doctors, and his nurses for taking such good care of Jerry.
Jerry will be interred privately at Fort Snelling. We, his family, believe the best way to honor our father is to dive head first into all of your passions, give your family/friends big hugs, cheer for the Huskers, grow an award winning vegetable, or visit a buffet (get at least two plates).
Rock Steady Boxing, designed to improve the quality of life for people with Parkinson’s Disease, was Jerry’s favorite activity at the Commons. If you’d like, memorials to Jerry can be made to Rock Steady Boxing in his name at rocksteadyboxing.org or an organization of your choosing.
Jerry was born in Seneca, Nebraska on June 12, 1941. His early years were spent ranching, playing sports, competing in rodeos, fixing cars and keeping his parents and teachers on their toes. He graduated early from high school because he was smart, but also because the teachers wanted him out of there. After high school, he had no intention of going to college and went to work on a ranch with thoughts of joining the rodeo circuit. Legend has it that he had an epiphany while on horseback checking calves while the temperature was 20 below zero. He had an older sister in college and decided that college must be easier than this. And as it turns out, college was a great idea, because at Kearney State he met his match - a feisty and smart young Mexican woman named Mary. They met in the library where she was there to study, and he was there to meet her. They married in 1961.
After attending Kearney State, Jerry and his small family moved to Omaha for medical school, graduating in 1967. In 1968 he was drafted into the Army as an MD and served in the Vietnam War. Once he returned, he was a general practitioner until completing an anesthesiology residency at the Mayo Clinic in 1974. From Rochester, Jerry and his family moved to Omaha where he worked at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Department of Anesthesiology. He moved the family to Minnesota in 1983 to start the first free-standing same day surgery center in the Twin Cities with two friends from residency.
Jerry was a man of many talents and passions. He was a storyteller, pilot, rancher, gardener, biker, fisherman, garage saler and jewelry and pen maker. He liked to tinker in his pole barn – fixing things like his 18 weed wackers (bought at garage sales of course). He loved card games, buffets, country music, the Nebraska Cornhuskers, cars, and meeting for weekly coffee with friends.
After he retired, Mary and Jerry spent the winters in Tucson where they made great friends. In the summer, the focus was his garden. His gardening brought him much happiness. It also kept him out of the house which brought Mary much happiness. He was also an award-winning gardener, as his turnips placed third among the turnip entries at the Dakota County Fair (full disclosure: there were just two entries).
While Jerry had many passions in life, his greatest passion was his family. As a father he was unselfish and caring, wanting a better life for his family. In 1990 Jerry’s life changed as he became a grandpa. His five grandchildren were the apples of his eye. He was never happier than when he was with them – picking veggies in the garden, fishing and boating at the cabin, playing games and sledding at the Jordan house. He loved his little “ankle biters” and was so proud of the adults they have become. We were grateful that he spent time getting to know his great-granddaughter Georgie.
Jerry was notoriously frugal and at the same time, very generous. Parkinson’s disease and a traumatic brain injury plagued his final years but he was loved and cared for with Mary always by his side.
A special thanks to Matt, Aida, Sem, the staff at the Commons on Marice, his doctors, and his nurses for taking such good care of Jerry.
Jerry will be interred privately at Fort Snelling. We, his family, believe the best way to honor our father is to dive head first into all of your passions, give your family/friends big hugs, cheer for the Huskers, grow an award winning vegetable, or visit a buffet (get at least two plates).
Rock Steady Boxing, designed to improve the quality of life for people with Parkinson’s Disease, was Jerry’s favorite activity at the Commons. If you’d like, memorials to Jerry can be made to Rock Steady Boxing in his name at rocksteadyboxing.org or an organization of your choosing.
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