Gerald "Jerry" J. McDonald

Jerry’s service will be livestreamed below starting at 1:30 PM January 20, 2024.

Gerald John McDonald, 80, fondly known as Jerry, peacefully passed away January 4, 2024, at home in ND from Alzheimer’s and White Matter Disease.

Jerry was born February 7th, 1943, in Fargo, ND to Fern and Freeman McDonald. He was 1 of 6 children. He attended St. Anthony’s and Shanley High School, where he graduated in 1960. The Class of 1960 has remained lifelong friends, and many classmate shenanigans have taken place throughout the years.

Jerry’s career path was shaped by his father, Freeman, who was part owner of McDonald’s Livestock in West Fargo, ND. In 1962, Jerry and his brother Tom purchased the K & E Meat Processing Plant north of West Fargo. Soon after they expanded to a retail store called McDonald’s Roundup Meat Market. In 1963, Jerry married Marly Mertens, a High School classmate, and they had three daughters: Stacy, Shannon, and Kelly. Jerry opened his first McDonald’s Meat Market in 1964, and in 1967 opened his second store in Moorhead, Minn.

Jerry found new love when he met Judi Hendrickson and her 3 children: John, Paul, and Tammie. Jerry and Judi, married in 1975. Their 6 children combined created their own “Brady Bunch”. Jerry sold the McDonald Meats businesses and, with Judi, formed McDonald’s Property, owning, and managing apartment buildings in the Fargo-Moorhead area until 2019.

Jerry’s passions were Faith, Family, and Service. Anyone who knew Jerry knew he loved God and his Catholic faith. He participated in many Bible studies and men’s retreats. His favorite saying was, “God Bless You.” Jerry loved his family deeply. It was important to him that we all spend quality time together. Family vacations included snowmobiling, downhill skiing, and traveling across the country in the big blue van to see the Pacific Ocean. A summer lake place was bought on Leek and Trowbridge Lake, and summers were spent hosting family and friends; not many days went by without an ice cream cone from Ralph’s Resort. Jerry and Judi wintered in Sun Lakes, Arizona. Jerry enjoyed being out on the golf course with friends or hiking. He also participated in many Roger Maris Golf Tournaments in Fargo. Jerry was a kind and very generous man. He was known to “borrow” the family’s furniture to residents in their apartments. Jerry was a role model as it was important to him that his children learned about giving and serving others. He took us shopping to purchase family Christmas gifts for those who didn’t have any. He stopped and talked to the homeless every chance he got and donated time and resources to many food banks and other non-profit organizations that meant a lot to him. He was also very active with the Optimist Club for many years. His favorite activity with the club was taking all his children to West Acres to wrap Christmas gifts for others. He sponsored three children in the God’s Child Project in Guatemala to go to school and made five mission trips there, building homes for the less fortunate. He was on the God’s Child board for many years.

Jerry is survived by his children Stacy (Dave) Schwab of Fargo, John (Cynthia) McDonald of Lebanon, MO, Shannon (Dave) Williams of Lake Havasu, AZ, Paul (Tina) McDonald of Fargo, Tammie (Ted) Gates of Marshall, VA; sister Maureen Lawrence of Mpls, MN. Jerry has 19 grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-grandchild on the way.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Fern and Freeman McDonald; wife, Judi McDonald; daughter, Kelly (Nick) Breidenbach; grandson, Yikealo Breidenbach; brother, Tom McDonald; sisters, Mary Romanchek, Kathy Zimmerman, and Peggy Weaver.

Memorials can be made to Gods Child Project or JP2 Catholic Schools.