Jerry Goedderz was an admired educator for the Royalton Elementary School for 32 years. Jerry attended high school at Crosby-Ironton and after graduation he enrolled at Brainerd Junior College and played college baseball for two years. He transferred to St. Cloud State University and graduated with a BS in Elementary Education in 1975.

Jerry began his teaching livelihood in Royalton in 1975 where he taught 4th and 6th grades during his career. In 2006, he was named the Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year. Jerry’s calling to serve extended far beyond the classroom as he coached varsity baseball for six years and junior high boys’ and girls’ basketball for a number of years.

Jerry has many notable achievements. He spearheaded the establishment of the Nature Center at the Elementary School. Jerry, along with fellow colleague Linda Martin, began the first of many Deep Portage trips for the 6th grade students. Even after his retirement, Jerry continued to support many school activities in countless ways. As a distinguished community member, he has led many initiatives and worked to establish many activities for elementary aged students, especially the “Take a Kid Fishing” program, which takes place in both winter and summer.

Jerry has been an active member of the Royalton Lions for 30 years, a Melvin Jones Fellowship recipient, and credited for taking the lead role in the formation of Platte River Day in 1994 after attending a Blandin Leadership Program. Jerry serves as a substitute teacher and bus driver for the Royalton School District and is a member of the Royalton American Legion. He is on the board of directors for the Pine Country Bank and Friends of Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. In his spare time, Jerry has been very active in his outdoor activities such as fishing, hunting, volunteering and umping baseball and softball games. Jerry has been married for 30 years to Audrey, a fellow educator at Royalton Elementary, and has two children, Josh and Andrea, who are graduates of RHS.