Gerald Ceroll

Gerald Ceroll, 84, Fargo, formerly of New Effington, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and lifelong member of Zion Lutheran Church, passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, May 31, 2026.

A celebration of Gerald’s life will be Thursday, June 4, at 11:00 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church in rural Claire City with Rev. Jonathan Varns and Rev. Chris Waldvogel officiating. Music will be provided by Edwin Arndt, Jr. and Paul and Diane Bartnick. The service will be recorded and will appear on the website when available.

Burial will be in the Zion Lutheran Cemetery, rural Claire City. Pallbearers will be Brice Sander, Daron Sander, Andrew Trittin, Daniel Mulder, Doug Mulder, Mark Ceroll, and Dave Meyer.

Visitation will be Wednesday, June 3, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Eggers Funeral Home in Rosholt. Visitation will continue Thursday morning one hour prior to the service at the church.

Born on December 23, 1941, at his grandfather Fred Hansen’s family farm in Norway Township, Roberts County, South Dakota, Gerald Emil was the eldest of five children of Reinhold and Edith (Hansen) Ceroll.

A trailblazer in his family, Gerald was the first to attend college, earning a degree in mechanical engineering from South Dakota State University. While still in college, he married Donna Halverson at Bethel Church, rural Claire City, on July 14, 1962, with whom he shared 63 years of marriage – a lifetime of love, partnership, and dedication.

Gerald began his career as an engineer with General Mills Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he and Donna raised three sons: Jeff, Warren, and Jason. Eventually, the family returned to Roberts County, South Dakota, where Gerald purchased a farm near his parents’ home. He and Donna worked side by side on the farm, instilling a strong work ethic and love for the land in their sons, until they moved on after high school. Gerald and Donna continued to run a successful farm for many years before retiring to Fargo, North Dakota in 2003.

A lifelong member of Zion Lutheran Church, Gerald dedicated countless hours to his faith and community. In recent years, he painstakingly rebuilt all of the church’s stained-glass windows and front doors, each piece custom-crafted in his Fargo garage. Throughout his life, Gerald applied his passion for engineering and mechanical design to improve his home, farm, and machinery, leaving a legacy of skill, creativity, and perseverance.

Gerald Ceroll’s life was one of devotion – to family, faith, and the craft he loved. His memory will live on in the lives he touched, the structures he built, and the farm he nurtured.

Gerald is survived by his wife, Donna; sons, Jeff (Laura) of Sioux Falls, Warren (Jill) of Owings Mills, MD, and Jason (Mandy) of Big Fork, MN; grandchildren, Heidi, Geena, Andrew, Cindy, Kelly, Kayla, and Keith; seven great-grandchildren; sisters, Shirley Sander of Fargo and Elaine (Buddy) Trittin of Lidgerwood; brother, John (Bonnie) Ceroll of Hankinson; and sister-in-law, Laurel Ceroll of Custer, SD.

Gerald is preceded in death by his parents, Reinhold and Edith; brother, Delhart Ceroll; and brother-in-law, Ron Sander.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Zion Lutheran Church in Gerald’s memory.