Gerald Allen “Jerry” Duphorn,
75, of Crookston, MN, passed away at his home early Tuesday morning, October 8, 2019, with his son, Troy, at his side. He had been fighting cancer for many months.
Jerry was born in Superior, WI on May 16, 1944, the son of Jack Christopher and Doris Marie (Sauter) Duphorn. When he was 6 years old the family moved to Grand Rapids, MN and a few years later to Shevlin, MN. Jerry was a 1962 graduate of Bagley (MN) High School and in 1967 earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Bemidji State University. That fall he began teaching at Waseca, MN. One year later Jerry moved to Crookston where he began teaching business courses at Central High School. In June of 1969, he was united in marriage to Mary Patricia Vaudrin at St. Anne’s Catholic Church in Crookston. Their marriage would be blessed by the births of 2 boys, Troy and Darin. In addition to his teaching duties, over the next several years Jerry did graduate degree work at Moorhead State University and post-graduate work at the University of North Dakota.
In 1981 Jerry’s career path led him to the business field, first with William R. Paradise, CPA of Crookston, and then Moser and Christianson CPA’s of Thief River Falls, and in 1984 as the financial controller and assistant general manager of the Northland Lodge in Crookston. In 1985 he established his own business, Jerry Duphorn and Associates, operating an accounting and tax practice as an adjunct to his other positions. In 1991 he became the chief controller and assistant general manager for Minnesota Dehydrated Vegetables of Fosston. He left there in 1997 to concentrate on his own business, which he had continued to the present time. Sadly, Mary passed away on July 30, 2007 after a long and valiant struggle with cancer.
Jerry held memberships in the Rotary Club and later the Dusk to Dawn Lion’s Club and served on the board of directors of the Golden Link Senior Citizen’s Club. He was with the Crookston Police Reserve and Polk County Sheriff’s Officer as a MN Post Board licensed peace officer for over 23 years. Additionally, he was an EMT-1 for the Polk County Ambulance Service for 14 years. His favorite pastimes included fishing and going for walks through the woods and parks, and around the lakes and streams of the area. Throughout his life Jerry was always friendly, caring, and helpful. He was considerate of other’s points of view and always willing to reflect on them. He said “We are not an island that becomes totally self-serving enough to dismiss the concerns of others for what might be our own self-satisfaction.”
Jerry is lovingly survived by his 2 sons: Troy Duphorn of Grand Forks, ND and Darin Duphorn and his wife, Kara, of Bloomington, MN; 5 grandchildren: Natalie, Lydia, and Jack Duphorn, and Shaela Reimer, and Cassandra Hietala; special friend, Louise Grover of Crookston; 4 siblings: Mark Duphorn and his wife, Peggy, of Geneva, IL, Jon Duphorn and his wife, Julie, and Kathy Johnson, of Fargo, ND, and Jody Jensen and her husband, Rick, of Crookston, MN; together with several nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends. In addition to Mary, his beloved wife of 38 years; Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, Jack and Doris Duphorn, and parents-in-law, Paul and Josephine Vaudrin. Jerry’s memory will be forever treasured by all were a part of his life.
The memorial service celebrating the life of Jerry Duphorn will be held at 11:00am, Saturday, October 19, 2019, at the Stenshoel-Houske Funeral Home in Crookston, MN with Pastor Nathan Richman, Chaplain of Hospice of the Red River Valley, officiating. Visitation with the family will be at the funeral home on Friday from 5-7:00 pm, with a 7:00pm prayer service and time of sharing, and will continue for one hour prior to the funeral on Saturday. Inurnment will follow in the Calvary Cemetery, Crookston. Memorials may be given in Jerry’s name to the Hospice of the Red River Valley.
