Jerry L. Chlian

Jerry Chlian, age 67 of Starbuck, died Sunday, July 18, 2021 at Glacial Ridge Hospital in Glenwood. A memorial service celebrating Jerry's life will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, July 24th, at Fron Lutheran Church in Starbuck with Pastor Joel Rolf officiating. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, July 23rd, at Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Glenwood and will continue Saturday at the church, one hour prior to the service. Inurnment will be in the Minnewaska Lutheran Cemetery in Starbuck. Arrangements are with the Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Glenwood.

Jerry Lee Chlian was born on February 18, 1954, in Glenwood, MN, to parents Harvey and Sylvia (Olson) Chlian. He was welcomed by older brother; Harvey Jr. Jerry grew up in Glenwood and was a 1973 graduate of Glenwood High School. On September 28, 1974 Jerry was united in marriage to Roxanne Gunness at Fron Lutheran Church in Starbuck. They built a home near Starbuck where they lived their entire married life.

Jerry worked for many years at Torgy’s Sport Center in Glenwood, beginning while he was in high school. Later, he went into partnership with three friends to create Quadro Corporation, manufacturing chain gates and curtains for baggage carts used by the airlines, along with several other products, including a stand-up golf cart. Jerry retired in 2016 and sold his interest in the business.

Jerry was gifted mechanically to fix most anything and had a mind for engineering to invent items with whatever resources he could find. Nothing was thrown away because he could fix it or find a use for it. He was a big guy with a sometimes gruff exterior but had a soft and caring heart. He got involved in racing cars while in high school and raced for many years in Alexandria at Viking Speedway before eventually getting involved in the operation of the race track. He very much valued the friendships he made through connections associated with racing.

Jerry’s hobbies included hunting and fishing and in recent years he and Roxanne purchased a Polaris Slingshot that they enjoyed driving on back roads around the state, exploring and discovering new places. They loved to travel and were blessed with a great group of friends that they traveled with to such places such as Florida, Las Vegas, Hawaii, Alaska, Mexico and South Padre Island.

Jerry is survived by his wife of 46 years, Roxanne of Starbuck; his mother, Sylvia Chlian of Starbuck; two nieces, Meghan (Steven Hollenkamp) Chlian of Sauk Centre and Jamie (Brent) Ward of Starbuck; three great-nephews, James Ward, Kody Ward, and Warrick Rolfzen; two sisters-in-law, LeAnn (Bill Wisniewski) Chlian of Starbuck and Kari (Galen) Huizinga of Alexandria; and his father-in-law, Arnie Gunness of Alexandria.

He was preceded in death by his father, Harvey, Sr. in 1988; his brother, Harvey, Jr. in 1997; and his mother-in-law, Betty Gunness in 2020.

Memorials may be directed to Glacial Ridge Hospice 219 1st St SE, Glenwood, MN 56334.

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