Services for Gerald E, Podoll, 72, of Aberdeen will be 10:30 a.m., Monday, October 17th at Our Savior Lutheran Church, 624 North Jay St., Aberdeen. Rev. Jais Tinglund will officiate. The service will be followed by a lunch at the church and graveside services in the Houghton Cemetery. Military honors will be provided by Roy Hall Legion Post #58.

Visitation will be held at the church on Sunday from 7-9 pm with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m.

Gerald passed away October 11, 2011 at Sanford Health in Sioux Falls following an extended illness.

Jerry was born in Aberdeen on Oct 9th, 1939 to Elmer and Myrtle (Knecht) Podoll of Columbia, SD. At age five, the family moved to Sand Lake Wildlife Refuge near Columbia. He attended grade school in a one room country school known as the Karlen School. He graduated from Columbia High School in 1957, were he participated in football, track and school plays.
Following graduation he enlisted in the army. On his discharge from the army he returned to Aberdeen and began his career in the telephone business. During his 31 years with Northwestern Bell and AT&T, he worked as a lineman, combination man, cable splicer, and equipment technician. In 1991, he started his own business in Aberdeen that he operated until he retired in 2000. He was a Lifetime Member of the Communication Workers of America and served as local president.

On April 5th, 1963 Jerry married Carol Kusler, and they resided in Aberdeen with a brief residence in Watertown, SD.

Jerry loved the outdoors, hunting, fishing and camping. His visits with his many friends and family in the Sand Lake area were very special to him. The Sand Lake Area was always "home" to Jerry.

He was preceded in death by his parents. Jerry is survived by his wife, Carol; his son, Todd (Jan) Podoll of Concord CA; his son, Scott (Shelly) Podoll and their children, Danielle, Max and Jack of Aberdeen; his sister, Marlene (Oscar) Oland of Glendale, AZ; his brother Dean (Jan) Podoll of LaVista, NE.
Honorary Casketbearers will be all of his Telephone Co-workers.

Casketbearers will be Chuck Knecht, Austin Knecht, Donald Knecht, Pat Knecht, Mick Knecht, Roger DeHoet and Bernie DeHoet.

In lieu of flowers, the family would prefer memorials be made to the Sanford Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International, www.sanfordproject.org, or to a charity of your choice.


www.coesterfuneralhome.net