Jerry L. Bentzen

Jerry La Vern Bentzen, 80, formerly of Minneapolis and La Crosse, passed away in his home in Baxter, MN on Sunday, October 18, 2020. Jerry, “Jer Bear” grew up in La Crosse as one of five children born to La Vern and Delores Bentzen. He went to St. Paul, MN for barber school before opening The Flair Hairstyling Salons in La Crosse. He loved being on the Mississippi River where he enjoyed spending time with family and friends, boating, and the Pettibone Boat Club. He married Barb Burman Bentzen on March 10, 1989.

Jerry was extremely kind, caring, and big-hearted. He is known by his family as someone who would “give the shirt off his back”. He was a great listener who always asked about you and everyone around him. He was a kind partner for 31 years to his wife Barb, as well as a close father to his daughter Kimberly. He always believed you should “Be Yourself” and that is exactly who he was. He loved food, especially coffee, ice cream, and chocolate! He had a love for the Green Bay Packers and a passion for movies. His measure for whether a movie was good or not was “would you watch it again”?

Aside from being survived by his wife Barb Burman Bentzen, her son Jeremy Houck (Michelle), grandson John Houck, and their two cats Stitches and DK. Jerry leaves behind his daughter Kimberly Bentzen-Tabbert (Daryl Tabbert), grandson Nick Tabbert (Whitney), granddaughter Megan Tabbert (Jacob Spirer), sisters Judy Steffes, Joan Worth and a brother Jack Bentzen (Angel), and all of the so many special nieces, nephews, cousins and friends that he loved so much.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, La Vern and Delores Bentzen, his sister Janet Knueppel, granddaughter Krista Houck, niece Karen Peterson (Steffes), and brothers-in-law Clem Steffes and Roger Worth.

Memorial services will be held on Friday, October 23, 2020, at 1:00 PM at the Schumacher-Kish Funeral & Cremation Services of Onalaska, 907 Sand Lake Road. Rev. Martin Yeager will officiate. Friends may call at the funeral home on Friday from 12:00 Noon until the time of services.