Gerald O. Lofquist

Gerald Oliver Lofquist (Jerry), 83, Cherry Valley, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 1, 2020 at Heritage Woods of Rockford. He was born April 14, 1937, in Kensington, MN, the son of Walter E. and Myrtle Irene (Forsberg) Lofquist. The family lived in Pierpont, SD before moving to Rockford, IL. Jerry attended East High and finished at Harlem High, class of 1956, where he played center on the football team.

He married Mary A. Nyman on June 24, 1962 at Cherry Valley United Methodist Church. His first jobs were a grocery delivery boy and pumping gas at the Sinclair station that his father managed. He worked for Stone Wheel, American Sterilizer Company, White-Sundstrand, Ingersoll and Nicholson Hardware.

Jerry enjoyed gardening and keeping up the family farm. In the early 70’s, he was the Kiwanis Club president. He sang with the Rockford Sveas Söner Chorus for fifty years, and traveled with his wife to many American Union of Swedish Singers’ conventions in the United States and abroad. Together with his family, he volunteered with Wycliffe Bible Translators and Heifer International in Ecuador for a year. A member of Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Rockford, since 1962, he helped sponsor several refugee families and sang tenor in the choir. He and his wife were a host family for students in the international studies program at Rockford College and foster parents for several children through Winnebago County. Jerry and Mary volunteered at the Swedish Historical Society Erlander Home Museum and the P.A. Peterson Barnabas Program.

He is survived by daughters; Kristine Lofquist (Saleem Malik), Beth (Pär) Ljungström, grandchildren; Ehan Malik, Miriam and Theo Ljungström, siblings; Sharon (Robert) Nuss, Harlan (Hildegard) Lofquist, sister-in-law, Zdena Lofquist, Julaine (Jeff) Lofquist-Birch; Mark (Becky) Lofquist, and numerous nieces and nephews. Predeceased by his parents, his wife, Mary, siblings; Ronald (Carol Patricia) Lofquist, Barbara (Bradley) Ross and Clayton Lofquist.

Due to COVID-19 all services will be private. Arrangements by Fitzgerald Funeral Home and Crematory, 1860 S. Mulford Rd, Rockford, IL. 61108. Burial at Scandinavian Cemetery. Share online condolences at www.fitzgeraldfh.com