Jerome Toftely, 62, Pelican Rapids, MN

Jerome Toftely
Jerome Toftely, 62, of rural Pelican Rapids, died Tuesday, May 27, 2008, at his home surrounded by family and under the care of Red River Valley Hospice.
Jerome Keith Toftely was born April 3, 1946, in Pelican Rapids, the son of Clarence and Myrna (Schipper) Toftely. He grew up and graduated from Pelican Rapids High School in 1964.
After graduation Jerome served in the United States Navy from 1964 to 1968. After his discharge from the Navy, he worked in construction for Adolf and Peterson in Minneapolis for a year. He then returned to Pelican Rapids and worked for his dad in plumbing.
In 1972, Jerome received his plumbing license at the University of Arizona in Phoenix and also received his associates degree in mechanical engineering. After returning to Pelican Rapids, he started his own business in plumbing.
In 1978, he went to work for G.T.E Sylvania and worked with the Minute Man Missiles. Jerome married Zoila Amparo Aleman in 1981, when he moved to New Orleans, La. A year later he worked for E Systems in Greenville, Texas, when he was transferred to Egypt.
After that, he moved back to New Orleans and worked in the plumbing business until 1986. In 1991, the family moved to Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1994, to Milwaukee, Wis., and in 1997, to Pelican Rapids where he started his own plumbing business, Toftely Plumbing and Water Conditioning, until the present.
Jerome was a life-long member of the Pelican Rapids Baptist Church. He enjoyed hunting and fishing on Prairie Lake, where he and his family built a house. He also enjoyed traveling and cruising around. Jerome had been to all the states in the U.S. except Hawaii and Alaska. His hobby was working with classic cars.
He was preceded in death by his parents; uncles; aunts; and cousins.
Jerome is survived by his wife, Zoila; two children, Jesse and Jessica, both of St. Paul; an adopted daughter, Khanh of Pelican Rapids; a sister, Karen Johnson of Detroit Lakes; and three nephews: Brad (Darice) Johnson and Keith (Tammy) Johnson, both of Fergus Falls, and Darwin (Brenda) Johnson of Fargo.
Visitation: Friday, June 6, from 4 to 7 p.m., with a prayer service at 7 p.m., at the church, and one hour prior to the service at the church
Memorial Service: 11 a.m. Saturday, June 7, at the Pelican Rapids Baptist Church, Pelican Rapids
Clergy: Rev. Louie Suter
Funeral Home: Larson Funeral Home, Pelican Rapids

• Condolences may be sent online at www.larsonfuneralpelicanrapids.com