Jerry Michael Danielsen was born on November 16, 1935, in Philip, South Dakota, to Mike and Alice (Knutson) Danielsen. He grew up in Brookings, South Dakota, near Pioneer Park, in a neighborhood filled with cousins and friends.

Jerry lost his father in a tragic car accident when he was eleven years old. From that point on, he carried a deep sense of responsibility. He became a skilled hunter, walking the railroad tracks out of Brookings in search of pheasants to help his mother provide for him and his brother in the years before welfare programs existed. He remained a remarkable shot throughout his life and often said he learned accuracy because there was not money to waste on a shotgun shell. What began as necessity grew into a lifelong love of hunting, fishing, and gardening—pursuits he continued well into his eighties.

After graduating from Brookings High School in 1953, Jerry knew he needed to find a way to pay for college. Although he was offered a track scholarship to the University of South Dakota, it was not enough, so he joined the United States Air Force. Jerry served at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi, and at Orly Air Base in France. After completing four years of service, he attended South Dakota State University, where he met his wife, Judith Carr. They were married on June 8, 1963, and together they raised four daughters, of whom Jerry was immensely proud.

After graduating from college, Jerry and Judy began their teaching careers in Lead, where they taught for one year, and then in Hartford for another. In 1965, they moved to Cresbard, where Jerry first taught and later served as superintendent of Cresbard Schools while earning his master’s degree in administration. During that time, he and Judy also purchased a cabin on Pickerel Lake, where the family spent many relaxing summers and weekends together.

In 1976, Jerry pursued an entrepreneurial opportunity and purchased what would become Danielsen Furniture and Hardware in Bristol. Three years later, he and his brother Dick purchased James Wholesale in Brookings, returning Jerry and his family to his hometown, where he operated the business until retirement.

In retirement, Jerry and Judy purchased land near Bruce, where they established a home and hunting ground for family to enjoy. After Judith’s passing in 2023, Jerry sold the home to his grandson and spent his final years in a cottage on the property of his daughter, Ashley, near Estelline.

Jerry passed away peacefully at home on May 20, 2026—coffee cup at his side, the morning news on the television, and his beloved dog Penny at his feet. It was, in every way, the departure of a man who lived life on his own terms.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Judith, and many cherished dogs. He is survived by his four daughters: Anne (Mike) Rizor, Ashley (Brent) Palmer, Megan (Chris) Brown, and Molly (Derek) Berg; his grandchildren Emily (Ashley) Tuschen, Madeline (Ben) Swenson, Isabel (Mike) Kobylinski, Hayden (Michaela) Palmer, Margaret (Zach) Rohrbeck, Eleanor Rizor and fiancé Joe Phillips, Will (Alivia) Brown, Matthew Brown, and Owen, Evelyn, and Greta Berg; his great-grandchildren Brooks, Alice, Lucy, Rudy, Henry, and Ike, with another great-grandchild expected in early June; his brother Richard (Dixie) Danielsen; and many special first cousins.

In accordance with Jerry’s wishes, no formal services will be held. The family will gather at a later date to celebrate his life together.

Jerry lived in a way that quietly taught those around him what it means to endure. He understood, perhaps better than most, that loss comes early and often, and that life asks us to carry on anyway. He met hardship not with bitterness, but with a fishing rod, a hunting dog, and a steady hand. In doing so, he showed his family that the cycles of life and death are not tragedies to be fought, but rhythms to be honored.