Jerome Reule

Jerome J. Reule of Jamestown, ND, passed away from a sudden illness February 6, 2025 at Sanford ICU in Fargo, ND.

He was born January 3, 1954 in the old Trinity Hospital in Jamestown to Arnold and JoAnne Reule (McIlonie). They returned to the family farm west of Edmunds and he attended the first grade there as well. At the age of seven the family moved off the farm and lived in Carrington where he started the second grade until his completion of high school.

Jerome worked various jobs in the area around Carrington right after high school along with helping his uncles on their respective farms. He then left the area and took a trip to northern Idaho where he took employment with the Star Mine (1975) and worked hauling muck and as a nipper supplying materials for the gypos. Interesting tidbit is that he fell into a pit on his first day underground and thereafter acquired the nickname, Grizzly. Returning to Carrington after realizing mining was not in his future, he started working for CETA (1976) where they blew insulation into attics and put in windows in homes for one summer, steel bin construction with Donny Jensen (1977-1981), and assisting with a threshing harvest near Woodworth for a couple years also with Donny. Moving to Jamestown he worked at the NoDak Block plant for John Carlson (1981) and for PMI doing pavement maintenance around (1984) until he started employment with the North Dakota State Hospital (1985) where he was a certified nursing assistant. Through his years of employment, he rose in responsibilities and leadership roles there and retired as a Direct Care Supervisor in the Tompkins program (2017). 

In acquiring as much as I could about his life, one thing stood out immediately. The infectious smile he had in the 1957 (Haut website) photo was the same as his adult photo. That smile reflected an inner contentment that he possessed throughout his life. Pick a year with a closeup of him, he will still have that same smile. He always seemed to have a door open to lifelong friends who passed by needing a place to stay or grab a bite to eat in their travels. Knowing his friends revealed a special relationship with a very close friend in John Fritz. Like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, you cannot have that sandwich without one of those ingredients. The two of them took many trips to places such as Glacier National Park, the Tetons, Yellowstone, fishing trips to Canada along with varying friends depending on the trip. He was an avid hiker and walker, loving to camp and fish. His favorite place to camp was at Magpie in the Badlands. He loved taking his dogs for walks around the Pipestem dam area which had a twofold benefit, exercise for his dogs and it kept him in great shape. Photos he had taken showed his love for the outdoors and his ability to encompass all of God’s creation in them. Flowers, mountains, lakes, rushing rapids, he saw it all with his friends and his dogs. And when he was photographed in those areas, there is that contented smile. 

Jerome was always keen on new ideas for camping or hiking and would periodically buy the “new and improved” versions of various items. Whether it be knives, axes, paracord or rope, camp stoves and accessories, they all went through his scrutiny and quite a few got relegated to the pile of also rans. You would see him reading multitudes of magazines and books on camp cooking, knot tying, and such. He also loved to cook, being very good at it and experimented with spices regularly. Looking at his yard, you could tell he loved gardening, canning various vegetables and taking care of flowers. In all this he earned another nickname…the Gadget Man. This one seemed to stick the best and fit him thoroughly.

As his oldest remaining brother, I cannot begin to express how much I miss him or how much his youngest brother misses him. Along with numerous friends we all feel that void in our lives now. Calls and texts as far as Colorado, Wisconsin, Indiana, Texas, and South Dakota, friends of mine here in state, left me reeling as everyone was wanting to express their condolences and prayers. He was loved by many people and had the envy of a few of us here as he always caught the biggest northern every year fishing. He did not hunt as much in his later years, and I suspect he wanted to see wildlife live rather than him taking them down. 

He dearly loved dogs and wanted a portion of his estate to go to the James River Humane Society to help care for them. If anyone feels the need to send flowers or gifts, please direct that to JRHS in the form of a monetary donation, I know he would appreciate that.

Jerome was preceded in death by his father and mother, and numerous close uncles and aunts. He is survived by his two remaining brothers Steve and Troy, both of Jamestown. He also leaves scores of cousins behind along with their families.

Jerome never wanted a funeral, so we decided to have a celebration of life in late spring or early summer when the weather is warmer. It is tentatively planned around the Parkhurst area of Pipestem Dam.

When we see each other again Jerome, we’ll all be hoping to see you smiling!