Jerolyn Wallach

Jerolyn Wallach, 76, passed away peacefully on Friday, March 22, 2024, at Sakakawea Medical Center in Hazen, ND. Service will be held at 10:00 AM CDT on Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at St Joseph’s Catholic Church in Beulah, ND with Fr. Thomas Grafsgaard officiating. Burial will follow at St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM CDT on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church with a vigil service at 7:00 PM.

Jerolyn was born to Glenn and Cecelia (Lepert) Onstad on April 5, 1947, in Omaha, NE. She was raised in Plattsmouth, NE. In 1954, Jerolyn’s family moved to Kansas City, MO for her father to work for Westinghouse.

Jerolyn went initially to college at University of Missouri at Columbia, MO. She moved to the University of Missouri in Rolla, MO in 1971 to begin her study in Chemical Engineering. There she met Dan Wallach who was in the same classes for Chemical Engineering. After a courting, Jerolyn and Dan were married on March 17, 1973, at Holy Catholic Church in Coffeyville, KS, where Dan worked at a refinery owned by CRA, Inc, a subsidiary of Farmland Industry. They lived in Coffeyville for two years before her husband was transferred to a refinery in Phillipsburg, KS. While in Phillipsburg, Jerolyn worked at the center for those in special health service and in a Western goods store. She also played the organ for Mass at SS Philip and James Catholic Church. In 1978, Jerolyn moved to Gering, NE as her husband was transferred to work at the refinery in Scottsbluff, NE. Here she worked initially as a phlebotomist at the Region West Medical Center. Later, she went to school and became certified by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists as a Technologist in Chemistry and worked for the Pathologist at Scottsbluff, NE.

In 1982, Jerolyn moved to Beulah, ND when her husband took a job at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant, north of Beulah. While in Beulah, Jerolyn became an EMT and worked for the Beulah Ambulance Service. Later Jerolyn decided to go to Dickinson State University to earn a degree in Secondary Education. She also received a degree in Computer Science. After receiving her teaching certificate, she was contacted by the superintendent at Halliday High School, being asked to teach science classes and computer science. She accepted the job and worked there until 2014. At the end of the 2014 school year, Jerolyn went in for a normal mammogram. The test this time showed that she had cancer in her left breast. Jerolyn made the decision to undergo a bi-lateral mastectomy. After recovering from the surgery, she started chemo treatment and when finished with that treatment went through radiation treatment in a selected area. In August 2021, Jerolyn went through a routine CT scan to check bone density. Unfortunately, the scan showed that her cancer had metastasized to bone cancer. From that time on Jerolyn worked with her oncologist, Dr. Aaron Luebke, who she saw when she found out that she had breast cancer. Jerolyn was put on a two chemo pill treatment for bone cancer. Though her treatment at first kept the cancer at bay, the medication no longer held the cancer from spreading. Jerolyn underwent a new chemo treatment. While starting this treatment, she became ill with pneumonia. Treatment with antibiotic and other drugs did not help her overcome the illness.

Jerolyn’s faith was fixed intently on Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church. She was involved in the charismatic movement at Christ the King in Gering, NE. She and her husband were members of the folk choir at Christ the King. She also taught the confirmation class at Christ the King together with her husband. Each confirmation class went on an overnight pilgrimage across paths in the Sand Hills south of Gering. Jerolyn and her husband together with another couple, first plotted out the hiking trail that would be taken and where the tents would be set up.  Also, at Christ the King, Jerolyn became involved with the charismatic movement and worked with others to arrange speakers and set up praise and worship meetings. At St. Joseph Catholic Church, Jerolyn participated with the choir and was a Eucharistic Minister and Lector. She taught at the Friday morning Bible study group at St. Joseph and was instrumental at getting the Bible Time-Line study started.

Jerolyn’s hunger for growing ever closer to Christ brought her to joining Apostoli Viae founded by Dan Burke. She attended on-line classes and became a Sojourner. In July 2022, Jerolyn attended the Apostoli Viae Investiture and Avila Summit at the Catholic University in Washington, DC where she became Disciple. As a Disciple, Jerolyn began to live out a rule of life specific to charism and state of life. Jerolyn attended her second Investiture and Avila Summit at Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Alabama, which had been founded by Mother Angelica.

Jerolyn was preceded in death by her father and mother and her two sets of grandparents.

Jerolyn is survived by her husband Dan, of 51 years, her sisters Carol Warren and Cindy (Bob) Young; her brothers Gary (Teresa) Onstad and Greg Onstad; her brother-in-law, Tom (Cathy) Wallach; her sister-in-law, Barb (Roy) Combs; many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

Arrangements are conducted by Barbot Funeral Home, Beulah and Hazen.

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