Gerry was born on August 24, 1949, to William and Martha Bosse. He was the youngest of four children. He attended school in Cogswell and graduated from Sargent Central High School in 1967. Following high school, he attended North Dakota State College of Science and North Dakota State University.

After college, Gerry was drafted into the United States Army. He proudly served from 1971 to 1973 as a Medical Laboratory Technician and was stationed in Okinawa, Japan. Following his military service, Gerry returned home to Cogswell to pursue his passion for farming.

Being the youngest sibling, Gerry had to prove his spot on the farm before beginning his career in agriculture. Once he did, he joined his brother, Jim, running a cattle and grain operation, along with a confined hog operation. Farming was more than a career to Gerry— it was a way of life that he took great pride in and one he was grateful to share with family.

Gerry was also deeply involved in his community. He belonged to several wildlife organizations, served on the NRCS board, was a member of Lawrence Milton Berg Post #38, and spent time coaching Pee-Wee wrestling. His faith was an important part of his life. He was active at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Britton, South Dakota, and later at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Oakes, North Dakota.

In 2011, Gerry was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. He knew he wanted more time, so he fought his way and got 15 more years. Knowing he was living on a prayer, Gerry made the most of those years. He continued doing the things he loved most and made countless memories with family and friends. His adventures took him on fishing trips to Alaska, an elk hunt in New Mexico, and moose hunting in the Yukon and North Dakota.

One of Gerry’s greatest passions in life was fishing. He took great pride in being involved in establishing a fishery at Kraft Slough near Oakes. If you couldn’t find Gerry around the farm, there was a good chance you could find him at Kraft Slough—unloading his boat, casting off the rocks, or even tying himself to his pickup and fishing on the thin ice because he was too impatient to wait for better conditions. In his prime, there wasn’t much that could keep Gerry from being out on the water.

Anyone who knew Gerry knows that he was a storyteller. He had a remarkable memory and could turn just about any fishing trip, hunting adventure, or farm story into something worth hearing. Chances are, if you knew Gerry, you have heard at least one of his many fishing stories. Those stories, along with the memories he made with the people around him, will be greatly missed.

Even during his final days, Gerry continued to fight for more time—not for himself, but for the opportunity to visit with his family and friends. He was grateful to every person who took the time to come see him, and those visits meant a great deal to him and his family.

Gerry’s greatest loves were God, his family, farming, and his friends. He married Diana (Mathews) on August 27, 1977. Together they were blessed with two sons, Brent (Lindsay) and Mathew (Casey), and five grandchildren, Brooklynn, Daphne, Leah, Memphis, and Brayden.

Gerry will be remembered for his love of family, his dedication to farming, his passion for fishing and hunting, his service to his country, his strong faith, and, perhaps most of all, the stories and memories he so freely shared with everyone around him.

He lived a full life, fought hard for every extra year, and made the most of the time he was given. His presence will be deeply missed, but the memories he created with his family and friends will live on for generations.

A prayer service with sharing will be held on Sunday, September 20, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. at Dahlstrom Funeral Home in Oakes. The Memorial Service will be Monday, September 21, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church with lunch to follow. Burial with military honors will take place at the Scandinavian Hilltop Cemetery following the lunch. Gerry’s service will be livestreamed on the Dahlstrom Funeral Home website www. dahlstromfuneralhome.com