AVON, Ind. - Gerald L. Deutscher, age 60, Avon, formerly of Billings, was born on Dec. 12, 1947, in Jamestown, N.D. He passed away March 13, 2008, after a three-year battle with colon cancer.
A memorial service was held March 15, in Avon.
Gerald graduated from Billings West High and joined the U.S. Marines in 1966 and served our country in Vietnam. He was honorably discharged in 1969. After graduating from EMC with a BS in biology and graduate school at South Dakota State University, he began working for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in 1973, and retired in 2006 after 33 years of service. He worked and managed wildlife refuges in South Dakota, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Midway Is., and concluded his career as manager of the Guam National Wildlife Refuge. He was very proud of protecting and preserving our country's natural resources for future generations.
He is survived by his wife, Sonok; mother Hertha; sister Janice; brothers Gary (LloydAnn), Allan (Marijke), Terry, Rick (Kathy); stepdaughter Gina (Russ) White; stepson Christopher Scott; four granddaughters; seven nephews; four nieces; 12 grandnephews and nieces; and other family members, Nancy Deutscher, Cindy Deutscher and Beckie Cariveau. His father, Gerhard; sister Arlene Hankel; and nephew Justin Deutscher preceded him in death.
I ran across Gerald's obituary about 5 years ago. I read it over a few times hoping it wasn't him. We were good friends in junior high and high school. We went to the state basketball tournament in Butte in '66. I don't recall that he expressed much interest in high education and I was glad to see that he evidently developed an interest.
James Nys (Nys)
From the Billings Gazette:
AVON, Ind. - Gerald L. Deutscher, age 60, Avon, formerly of Billings, was born on Dec. 12, 1947, in Jamestown, N.D. He passed away March 13, 2008, after a three-year battle with colon cancer.
A memorial service was held March 15, in Avon.
Gerald graduated from Billings West High and joined the U.S. Marines in 1966 and served our country in Vietnam. He was honorably discharged in 1969. After graduating from EMC with a BS in biology and graduate school at South Dakota State University, he began working for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in 1973, and retired in 2006 after 33 years of service. He worked and managed wildlife refuges in South Dakota, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Midway Is., and concluded his career as manager of the Guam National Wildlife Refuge. He was very proud of protecting and preserving our country's natural resources for future generations.
He is survived by his wife, Sonok; mother Hertha; sister Janice; brothers Gary (LloydAnn), Allan (Marijke), Terry, Rick (Kathy); stepdaughter Gina (Russ) White; stepson Christopher Scott; four granddaughters; seven nephews; four nieces; 12 grandnephews and nieces; and other family members, Nancy Deutscher, Cindy Deutscher and Beckie Cariveau. His father, Gerhard; sister Arlene Hankel; and nephew Justin Deutscher preceded him in death.
submitted by Jim Nys
Nick Koenig
I ran across Gerald's obituary about 5 years ago. I read it over a few times hoping it wasn't him. We were good friends in junior high and high school. We went to the state basketball tournament in Butte in '66. I don't recall that he expressed much interest in high education and I was glad to see that he evidently developed an interest.