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| Jerry Bouchie, Age 68 |
| Visitation Location: |
First United Methodist Church, Sartell, MN |
| Visitation Date/Time: |
Monday, May 1, 2017 from 10:00 to 11:00 AM |
| Funeral Time: |
Monday, May 1, 2017 at 11:00 AM |
| Funeral Location: |
First United Methodist Church, Sartell, MN |
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Jerry Bouchie, 68
Sartell
July 8, 1948 - April 26, 2017
Jerry Bouchie, age 68, of Sartell, MN died Wednesday, April 26 at St. Cloud Hospital. Funeral Services will be Monday, May 1 at 11 am at First United Methodist Church in Sartell. Visitation will be one hour prior to services at 10 am at the church. In lieu of flowers, please honor Jerry by being kind to others and making someone laugh.
Jerry and his wife of 44 years, Mary, have three children, Joy of Sherwood, Oregon, Sarah (married to Armindo) of Washington DC, and Jeret (married to Julie) of Sartell, Minnesota. Jerry spent his final days just as he wanted, enjoying the trees behind his house, planning for his next road trip, and surrounded by his four adoring grandchildren, Ben, Alli, Lucie and Marielle.
Jerry was born July 8, 1948, to Mabel and Don Bouchie in Bertha, Minnesota. His childhood gave him a deep appreciation for the value of hard work. He spent his career first as a teacher, and then as a principal, working across the state, in Jackson, Bemidji, East Chain, Adrian, Eden Valley, Sartell, and Northome.
As an educator, his commitment to students was unwavering. He led his buildings with humility and a deep sense of commitment. He put in long hours, but always took time to have fun. He knew each child in his care in a way that meant he always acted with compassion and kindness. Whether dressing up in a costume to encourage children to do their best, staying late to help out a student in trouble, or stepping in for a teacher to make sure that their children had the guidance they needed, Jerry did what he enjoyed and influenced generations of children.
As his own children grew older, he became an instructor at St. Cloud State University where he found a way to help children in a new way mentoring teacher candidates, a job which allowed him to travel across the state and then to England. He loved learning new things and loved his job helping shape young adults.
Jerry was a talented carpenter. He remodeled his house, and did the same for his children. He could fix just about anything, or had an opinion about how it could be done. He loved his family and loved spending time with them. As a father, we turned to him for his advice. He taught us about forgiveness and kindness and how to listen to others and to ourselves.
In his retirement, he and Mary would take long road trips to see the country. He loved to travel and his job, his kids and his love of learning new cultures led him to visit Central and South America, Europe, the Middle East and Southern Africa. He relished finding a good deal, appreciated people who were different from him, and was guided by a deep sense of justice and fairness.
He found great joy in taking care of his four grandchildren. As the primary caregiver for each of them as their mothers transitioned back to work, Jerry cared for them with the kind of attentiveness and deep love that inspired people around him. He made up songs for them, changed their diapers, read to them, and woke up with them in the middle of the night. He would spend hours playing with them on the floor, meeting them for lunch at school, helping them with homework, and comforting them in a way only their papa could.
He earned the title of cherished mentor, neighbor, friend, uncle, brother, grandfather, Dad, and husband, by caring for and about each of us. He is survived by his wife, three children, four grandchildren, three sisters, and a brother. We hope you remember the laughter and joy he brought into our lives.
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