August 26, 1955 – December 11, 2023 (age 68)

After a courageous battle with cancer, Jerry Langstraat, 68, was welcomed into heaven on December 10, 2023, with Joy and the girls by his side at the Pipestone Hospice House.

Jerry Keith Langstraat was born on August 26, 1955, to Howard and Joy (Bomgaars) Langstraat. He was raised in Sibley, Iowa, where he attended school and graduated high school in 1973. He was a member of the First Reformed Church.

From an early age, Jerry enjoyed auctioneering, farming, driving truck, and spending time working in his dad’s sale barn, Northside Sales. When the 80’s farm crisis hit, he moved to Alaska and spent a year in the Delta Junction/Fairbanks area where he bought and sold farm equipment. During this time, he also enjoyed fishing, hunting, and meeting a lot of new friends. After returning from Alaska, he went back to Sibley and began working with his close friend, Wade Ellerbroek, forming E&L Auctioneering. He also enjoyed working for Gehling Auctioneering Company in Preston, Minnesota, and continued to buy and sell farm machinery. He obtained his pilot’s license and was the proud owner of his own plane, a Cherokee Piper. He was a season ticket holder for the NASCAR race, the Brickyard 400, for many years.

In 1995 his world changed drastically when he met Joy Ellen Pick at the VFW in Sibley. He went from being a bachelor to having a family as he raised her daughters who quickly become “his girls.” They were married on June 27, 1997. Jerry also purchased Edgerton Equipment at this time with business partners and friends, Denny Hohn and Dan Block. He loved working there and made many lifelong friendships.

Jerry, Joy, and the girls moved to Edgerton in August 1997, where they built a wonderful life “up on the hill.” He was a member of the First Reformed Church where he served as a deacon and sang in the choir. He loved camping and spent countless hours pulling the girls and their friends tubing and skiing in his boat over the years. He also enjoyed playing Cribbage and making tasty food on his smoker with the “camping group.” He was an early riser and always made sure to start the day with his breakfast buddies, most recently at the Leota Café. It was also common to find him ending his day at “happy hour” in Trosky, Minn.

Eventually, Edgerton Equipment was sold to C & B Operations where he continued to work until his retirement in November 2021. Jerry and Joy moved to Lake Benton that fall where he enjoyed two amazing years living at the lake. He enjoyed fishing whenever he felt like it with his friends. He could not sit still for too long though as he kept busy by working at the Swiftel Center in Brookings, S.D. 

His amazing and impactful life will be cherished by his wife of 26 years and his daughters, Tracy (Zach) Hadler, Maricia (AJ) Pronk, and McKenzie (Cody) Ihlen. He loved his nine grandchildren very much and they adored their Papa; Oaklee, Otto, Olive, and Odelle Hadler; Lincoln, Libby, and Luke Pronk; and Crew and Wells Ihlen.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister Beth Herrick; and niece Jessica Jean-Julien.

He is survived by his siblings, Brenda (Bob) Janisch; and Brad (Karla) Langstraat; sisters-in-law Judy (Rich) Schnurr and Lila (Scott) Simmelink; brother-in-law Mark (Vicki Lynn) Oldenkamp, and numerous nieces and nephews, cousins, and unforgettable friends who he made many memories with over the years. His larger-than-life personality, kindness, and contagious laugh will be remembered by many.

A Celebration of Life was held Saturday, December 16, 2023, 3:00 p.m., at First Reformed Church, Edgerton.