Jerome “Jerry” Engel, 76 of Ray, ND, passed away Monday, April 20, 2020 at Vibra Hospital in Mandan, ND.

Jerry was born as the third of four children to Jacob Peter Engel and Norma (Raymond) Engel on September 25, 1943 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The family lived in Minneapolis until 1955, when they moved to Ray, North Dakota. Jerry graduated from Ray High School in 1961. He then attended college in Wahpeton and Williston. He worked a couple of years in the ND oilfield, before being drafted into the Army in 1965. While in the Army, he was stationed in Germany and worked as a Transportation and Movement Specialist. In 1967, he was discharged from the Army and returned home to the Ray area.

In 1975, Jerry married Joanne Weyrauch and together they had three children. They were later divorced.

Over Jerry’s remaining working years, he was back in the oilfield and related industries, including title searching, roustabouting, security and sales in Williston, Tioga and Ray. He also was an agricultural loan officer for Williston Cooperative Credit Union for 4 years and worked at both the State and County Economic Development for 8 years, working with small businesses to help them with financial needs.

In 1995, the same year his oldest daughter graduated from high school, Jerry earned his certificate from the University of North Dakota-Williston in Small Business Management.

From 1999 until his retirement in 2008, Jerry worked as the Director of Region One Senior Services and Williams County Council on Aging. He worked at the office in Williston, but also assisted our surrounding communities with their outreach, meal and transportation programs. He still enjoyed working with the members of the Heritage Center in Williston and the surrounding areas.

Jerry loved antique cars and classic muscle cars (especially Mustangs - of any year!), fishing, canoeing, photography and Nascar. He raced stock cars locally in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. He was very organized with our family history and has binders full of information for us to trace our roots and our extended family back several generations. He was a member of the Legion Post #9, the Moose Club, Basin Kruzers, Upper Missouri Camera Club, Ray Community Development Corporation and many, many others over the years.

He is survived by his children, Lisa Engel and her fiancé, Shawn Ehlke, and daughters Alexia Pitman and Kylie Ehlke; Paula Bergstrom and her husband, Travis; and Peter Engel. He is also survived by his brother-in-law, Dale Ruehle, and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

Welcoming him in Heaven are his parents, Jacob and Norma Engel, his brothers James Engel and Paul Engel and his sister, Patricia Ruehle, along with many aunts, uncles and cousins.