Jerald Fuchs

Jerald Loyd Fuchs, 84,

formerly of Minot, ND,

died February 28, 2020

peacefully in his home in

Palm Desert, California.

Jerry was born March 7,

1935 in Billings, Montana,

the son of Phillip S. and

Adeline (Orth) Fuchs. He

was raised in Billings and

graduated from Billings

Senior High School. He

worked in his parent’s

roller skating rink, the

“Rollarena,” built next

door to the family home.

After graduation in 1954,

he enlisted in the Coast

Guard. He was united in

marriage to Delores (Dee)

Ingeborg Bruhaug on De-

cember 26 of that year.

They were stationed at the

New Dungeness Light-

house near Sequim on

Washington’s Olympic

Peninsula. After his duty

at sea on the Wachusett

Coast Guard Cutter he

was honorably discharged

and they returned home

to Billings.

Jerry was hired in

Minot, North Dakota to

manage “Skateland” locat-

ed in the Parker Auditori-

um. After it was destroyed

by fire in 1962, he joined

the Minot Fire Depart-

ment and was a firefighter

until 1973, when he was

appointed City Fire

Marshall until his retire-

ment in 1997. He and his

wife Dee, built, owned

and operated the Skatium

Roller Rink in Minot until

2006. Jerry and Dee

bought a second home in

Palm Desert in Sun City,

where they enjoyed the

sun year round.

Jerry enjoyed his lake

cabin at Long Lake,

spending time with

friends, neighbors and

grandkids. He taught his

boys to hunt and fish. He

loved the game of ice

hockey and was active

with the Minot Hockey

Boosters and he and Dee

billeted players from the

Minot Americans. He sang

with the Nodachords, was

a member of Kiwanis, Sun

City Car Club, and en-

joyed woodcarving and

making decorative canes

from Diamond Willow,

which he gave out to

friends and relatives. You

could often find Jerry

working in his garage on a

new woodcarving project.

Jerry loved his

great-grandbabies and

they loved Papa’s warm

tummy to sleep on. He

was a great dad, grandpa

and beloved Papa!

Jerry is survived by: his

wife Dee; daughter Jeri

Lynn (Rick) Ruppert in

Palm Desert; sons Scott

(Janel) Fuchs and Wade

Fuchs both of Minot ND;

grandchildren Jacob

(Lauren) Ruppert, Melissa

(Michael) Morgida, Adam

Ruppert, Carson (Casey)

Black and Quinn Fuchs;

great-grandchildren Lan-

don Crawford, Adelyn

Morgida, Layla Ruppert

and Anna Black; siblings

James (Frances) Fuchs,

Mearl (Maria) Fuchs,

Ralph Fuchs, Phyllis (Al-

len) Green and LaMont

(Joyce) Fuchs along with

many nieces and

nephews.

He was preceded in

death by his parents and

infant son, Gregory Loyd

Fuchs.

Celebration of Life ser-

vice: Due to the COVID,

we will observe social dis-

tancing on Friday, June

19, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. in

Our Savior Lutheran

Church, Minot.

Interment: Rosehill

Memorial Park.

Visitation: There will be

a time for friends to sign a

memorial register book on

Thursday, June 18th from

4:00-6:00 p.m. in Thomas

Family Funeral Home,

Minot.

Memories and con-

dolences can be shared at

www.thomasfamily

funeralhome.com.