Gerald E. "Jerry" Thomas

Gerald “Jerry” Thomas, age 90, of St. Louis Park, MN and Scottsdale, AZ, passed away peacefully January 6, 2026. Preceded in death by wife Muriel, sister Kathleen, and parents George and Kathryn.

Jerry was born in Minneapolis, eventually moving to Bloomington. Hitchhiking his way to school, he graduated from St. Thomas Academy. He took his love and talent for baseball to the U of M, where he had a legendary career. 1956 College World Series MVP, and All American, Jerry still holds pitching records at the U and was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 1995. His greatest accomplishment of all at the University was meeting the love of his life, Muriel.

After college, Jerry was drafted by the Detroit Tigers, where he played several years in the minors. He also served in the Army and National Guard, followed by a 45-year career at Midway National Bank in St. Paul.

In the game of life, Jerry traded his glove for a tennis racket, and eventually a golf club. Loving golf (especially in AZ), he played until the very end. His quick wit and knack for making people laugh made everyone around him comfortable.

He leaves behind four children, Jeanne (Michael) LaBolt, David (Amy) Thomas, Gregory Thomas and Karen (Paul) Rahm; five grandchildren, Chad Fleck, Nick and Nathan Rahm, and Avalon and Jerry Thomas; one great-grandchild, Emma Rahm and brother, George Thomas.

Open House Celebration Friday, May 8, 2026, 3 – 6 PM, Brookview Golf Course, 316 Brookview Parkway S., Golden Valley, MN, 55426.

Memorials preferred to St. Thomas Academy or to the Gopher Baseball Program at the University of Minnesota https://bit.ly/gopherbaseball