Jerome R. Dempsey

Loving father and husband, Jerome Richard "Dick" Dempsey of Hastings passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 14, 2015. He was 81 years old. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Joanne T Dempsey, parents Mark and Mabel, and his sisters Colleen and Janet Ann. Jerome is survived by his children: Nicholas of Long Beach, CA, Mark of Hastings, MN, Catherine of Winona, MN and Patrick (Kathy) of Chaska, MN; also two brothers: Dr. John (Marian) Dempsey of Minnetonka, MN and Terry (Janet) Dempsey of New Ulm, MN. Jerome was born on April 21, 1933 in Henderson, MN to Mark and Mabel (Stehly) Dempsey, the youngest of four children. He earned the nickname "Dick" as a child given him by his family. Professionally, Jerome was known to most as "Jerry". He graduated from Henderson High School in 1951 and from St Thomas College in St Paul in 1955 with a bachelors degree in education. He served in the Army from 1955 to 1957 based out of Fort Sheridan in Illinois. Upon his discharge from the Army, he moved back to St Paul where he met Joanne T. Mangan and they were married on June 13, 1959. He began his career in education in 1959 in Goodhue, MN where he taught social studies at Goodhue Senior High School. Jerome and Joanne moved to Hastings in 1960 where they settled to raise their family and where he was active in the community. He taught social studies at Hastings Senior High School from 1960 to 1974. During that time, he also worked for the Dakota County Highway Department during the summer months off from school helping to pave many newly created county highways. He earned a Masters Degree in Education from UW-River Falls and earned a Specialist Degree in Education Administration from Winona State University in 1976. He became Assistant Principal at Hastings Junior High School in 1974, a role in which he served until his retirement in 1993. In 1992, he was elected to the Minnesota State House of Representatives representing the Hastings/Red Wing area. He served seven consecutive terms in the House of Representatives until 2006 after choosing not to run for an eighth term. He was a member of Guardian Angels Catholic Church where he served on the church council, sang in the choir, and was a lector, and later St Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church. He was a volunteer with the Knights of Columbus, the Kiwanis Club, the Hastings Chamber of Commerce, the Hastings Rivertown Days Committee and for many years wrote the clues for the Rivertown Days Medallion Hunt. He also served on the Board of Directors at First Federal Savings Loan in Hastings. The visitation, agathering of family and friends will take place on Friday January 16, 2015 from 4 to 8 pm at St Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 2035 15th Street West, Hastings. Mass of Christian Burial will be held10:30am Saturday, January 17, 2015 with visitation also held one hour prior to the service. A reception at the church will follow the burial, held at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Cemetery with full Military Honors provided by the Hastings VFW Lyle Russell Post #1210. The family has set up the Joanne and Jerome Dempsey Memorial Scholarship Fund at MidCountry Bank in Hastings which will be used to fund scholarships for graduating seniors from Hastings High School. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be sent to Katie Dempsey c/o Dempsey Scholarship Fund, 865 West 11th Street, Winona, MN, 55987.