Gerald `Jerry` Diercks

Gerald ?Jerry? Alvin Diercks, 75, of Goodhue and formerly of Red Wing, died Tuesday at St. Mary?s Hospital in Rochester. He was born July 13, 1931 in Red Wing, to Alvin and Elnora (Hinsch) Diercks. He attended schools in Hay Creek and graduated from Red Wing Central High School in 1949. He farmed in Hay Creek with his father until enlisting in the U.S. Air Force on March 20, 1951 serving until December 22, 1954. He had training at Penn State University in Pennsylvania. In the Far Eastern Air Force, he processed court marshals in Korea and Japan. Upon his return, he farmed with his father until 1963, when he managed the Leo C. Peterson American Legion until 1965. He married Rose Mary Zignego on August 7, 1965 in Red Wing. He was a mail carrier for the Red Wing Post Office for 26 years, retiring on August 1, 1991. He also farmed during this time and ran a produce stand in Red Wing. In 1995 he was appointed as aide to Daniel Ludwig, National Commander of the American Legion, and traveled to 47 states and 16 foreign countries. He was elected in 1973 to the Hay Creek Town board as Treasurer, and served until 2004. Rose died August 13, 2006. He was a lifetime member of the Leo C. Peterson American Legion #54, serving as commander for the Post and 3rd district. He was also a member of the Zumbrota Starry-Yerka VFW and he was a member and served as a trustee of Hay Creek Immanuel Lutheran Church. He is survived by 3 children, Pamela Gorman of Red Wing, Dwight (Dian) Diercks of Saratoga, Calif., and Heidi (Scott) Krause of Hager City; 7 grandchildren, and his sister, Marion (Tom) Kolberg of Red Wing and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife and his grandson, Ryan Krause. Funeral will be 10:30a.m. Saturday, Nov. 25 at Immanuel Lutheran Church with Reverend Lowell Sorenson officiating. Burial will be at Oakwood Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Jack Edwards, Orville Hattemer, Lamoyne Logan, Richard Mallon, Allen Poole, and Terry Shelstad. Honorary Pallbearers will be his grandchildren, Annie, Jack, Sarah and Emma Gorman, and Cory, Sean and Kathryn Krause. Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. Friday at Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel with a Legion service at 7 p.m. Visitation will also be for one hour prior to the service at the church. Memorial preferred to the Kitchen Fund for Immanuel Lutheran Church.