Jerome "Jerry" Fearing

Renowned cartoonist, Jerry Fearing died peacefully in the early morning of October 12, 2024 in Preston, Minnesota at the age of 94. He was born Jerome Walter Fearing, July 16, 1930 in St. Paul Minnesota. Growing up on St. Paul’s West 7th Street his youth was spent in the hustle and bustle of the city combined with adventures with friends and siblings along the Mississippi River, these early adventures resulted in numerous cherished family tales that he loved to recount. His youthful love of newspaper comic strips ignited his lifelong passion for cartooning. A graduate of St Paul’s Monroe High School, Jerry then served as a US Marine in the Korean War, taking part in the infamous Battle of Chosin Reservoir and he received a purple heart after sustaining serious injuries in combat. In 1966 the Fearing family moved from St. Paul to Scandia, MN near the St Croix River. His love of the natural world meant that he was most at home along the river and among the eccentric mix of animals that he welcomed into his family. Jerry also trekked widely across the northern United States and into Canada’s Northwest Territories, enjoying many camping trips north of the Arctic Circle. In the 1960’s and 70’s these trips were often recounted in the St. Paul Dispatch and Pioneer Press. He was preceded in death by his wife of 70 years, Dolores Kulhanek-Fearing and his siblings: Patty Fearing, Joyce Rogers and Patrick Fearing. He is survived by his daughter’s Jodie Fearing and Vickie Haberman, son’s Scott Fearing, Mark Fearing and granddaughter Lily Fearing. Jerry was best known for his editorial cartoons which were published in the St Paul Dispatch and Pioneer Press beginning in the 1960’s until his retirement in1994. However, through the years Jerry wrote and illustrated many books including: The Story of Minnesota, Christmas on West Seventh Street and Campfire Tales. His illustrated series on The Fish of Minnesota, The World of Pets and The Animals of Como Zoo which originally ran in the Pioneer Press Sunday comic pages. Throughout his years at the newspaper his unique crowd cartoons often published as magazine covers featuring the Minnesota State Fair, the St Paul Winter Carnival or Christmas shopping which became favorites of many readers. In the 1980’s Jerry’s nationally syndicated comic strip Rooftop O’Toole ran in over 120 newspapers. Rooftop and his dog Rufus delivered the daily newspaper to the Whitehouse, so he as able to blend political references into his comic approach. The strip celebrated a different time in American politics with humor and pathos. He was also a co-founder of the Twin Cities Chapter the Laurel and Hardy Blockheads fan club. Jerry’s lifelong passion for the arts prompted him to pursue sculpting and painting resulting in a diverse body of work. The Jerome Fearing Collection of Cartoons and Editorial Art is held by the University of Minnesota Special Collection Library.Jerry’s love of the outdoors continued in his final few weeks when he greatly appreciated being able to spend time outdoors, to enjoy the “wide blue sky” and beautiful valleys of southern Minnesota. The Fearing family extends heartfelt gratitude to the staff of the Minnesota Veteran’s Home in Preston, MN for their kindness and caring in the last months of Jerry’s life. Memorials preferred to your local humane society.