Obituary: Jerrol Tostrud, longtime champion of Woodbury and St. Paul civic causes, ‘led by example’
When Jerrol “Jerry” Tostrud moved with his family to Woodbury in 1965, he wanted to help create a community like he had while growing up in Albert Lea.
“He grew up in a strong, supportive community, and I think he wanted to do whatever it took to create a similar strong community in Woodbury and South Washington County,” said his oldest son Eric Tostrud, a federal district judge in St. Paul. “He led by example.”
Jerrol Tostrud (Courtesy of Eric Tostrud)
Jerry Tostrud served on the board of the South Washington County School District from 1968 through 1977, including four years as chairman. He helped spearhead the construction of Woodbury High School, which opened in 1976, and negotiated directly with the district’s teachers when their contract was up, Eric Tostrud said.
“He did all the negotiating himself,” he said. “There was no consultant, no arbitrator or mediator. He was absolutely directly involved in that.”
Jerry Tostrud, of Sunfish Lake and Naples, Fla., died Oct. 3, 2024, at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis while undergoing surgery to correct a weakened aorta. He was 86.
Tostrud graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1956 and from St. Olaf College in Northfield in 1960. While at St. Olaf, Tostrud, a history major, played on the golf team, and was a staff member of the student newspaper, Manitou Messenger.
He also met Alleen Christian at St. Olaf, who was a year younger. “She was from Chicago,” Eric Tostrud said. “He would talk about seeing her on campus, and he wanted to get to know her.”
Tostrud joined the Army after graduating, and the couple married in December 1961 at First Lutheran Church in Albert Lea while he was home on leave from basic training in Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, Eric Tostrud said.
When Jerry Tostrud got out of the Army in 1962, the couple moved to Maplewood. He immediately started working for West Publishing Co. in St. Paul, one of the leading publishers of law books, Eric Tostrud said. “He was interested in getting into business right away,” he said. “I suspect he found the work very interesting and away he went.”
Jerry Tostrud started out managing the comparing department and then worked his way up to personnel manager and executive vice president. He retired in 1996.
William Mitchell, St. Olaf ties
Jerry Tostrud also served as a trustee of William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul from 1982 to 1991, serving three years as chairman. “West had a strong tie with Mitchell because so many employees went to Mitchell at night to get their law degrees to further their West careers,” Eric Tostrud said. “He saw the importance of the law school not just to West, but to St. Paul and Minnesota.”
Jerry Tostrud served on the St. Olaf College Board of Regents from 1996 to 2006, including four years as board chairman. He was elected as a senior regent in 2011, said Kat Dodge, a spokeswoman for the college.
The Tostruds gave $12 million to build the Tostrud Center to support recreation and athletics on campus. They also co-chaired “Fram! Fram! Forward St. Olaf,” a $125 million fundraising campaign in the early 2000s, and gave to the construction of Regents Hall, the natural and mathematical sciences building on campus, Dodge said.
All three of Jerry and Alleen Tostrud’s children went to St. Olaf: Eric Tostrud, Class of 1987, Karen Hoffmann, Class of 1989, and Jon Tostrud, Class of 1991.
Daughter-in-law Laurie Tostrud and three grandchildren also are graduates; one grandson is attending now, Eric Tostrud said.
“Olaf is a big part of our family life,” Eric Tostrud said. “It’s a way to give back to a place that made a difference in all our lives.”
Jerry Tostrud also served on the boards of the American Judicature Society, the Somerset Country Club and the St. Paul Foundation. At the time of his death, he was serving on the finance committee of his church, Eric Tostrud said.
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The Tostruds moved to Sunfish Lake in 1992 and split their time between Minnesota and Naples, Fla.
The Tostruds were longtime members of Somerset Country Club in Mendota Heights, Eric Tostrud said. “He loved playing golf,” he said. “He liked the fellowship it provided. Some days, I think he liked the reprieve of it, the competition. It just depended on the day.”
In addition to his wife and children, Tostrud is survived by six grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 18, at Augustana Lutheran Church in West St. Paul, with visitation one hour prior to the service and from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday.
Obituary: Jerrol Tostrud, longtime champion of Woodbury and St. Paul civic causes, ‘led by example’
When Jerrol “Jerry” Tostrud moved with his family to Woodbury in 1965, he wanted to help create a community like he had while growing up in Albert Lea.
“He grew up in a strong, supportive community, and I think he wanted to do whatever it took to create a similar strong community in Woodbury and South Washington County,” said his oldest son Eric Tostrud, a federal district judge in St. Paul. “He led by example.”
Jerrol Tostrud (Courtesy of Eric Tostrud)
Jerry Tostrud served on the board of the South Washington County School District from 1968 through 1977, including four years as chairman. He helped spearhead the construction of Woodbury High School, which opened in 1976, and negotiated directly with the district’s teachers when their contract was up, Eric Tostrud said.
“He did all the negotiating himself,” he said. “There was no consultant, no arbitrator or mediator. He was absolutely directly involved in that.”
Jerry Tostrud, of Sunfish Lake and Naples, Fla., died Oct. 3, 2024, at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis while undergoing surgery to correct a weakened aorta. He was 86.
Tostrud graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1956 and from St. Olaf College in Northfield in 1960. While at St. Olaf, Tostrud, a history major, played on the golf team, and was a staff member of the student newspaper, Manitou Messenger.
He also met Alleen Christian at St. Olaf, who was a year younger. “She was from Chicago,” Eric Tostrud said. “He would talk about seeing her on campus, and he wanted to get to know her.”
Tostrud joined the Army after graduating, and the couple married in December 1961 at First Lutheran Church in Albert Lea while he was home on leave from basic training in Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, Eric Tostrud said.
When Jerry Tostrud got out of the Army in 1962, the couple moved to Maplewood. He immediately started working for West Publishing Co. in St. Paul, one of the leading publishers of law books, Eric Tostrud said. “He was interested in getting into business right away,” he said. “I suspect he found the work very interesting and away he went.”
Jerry Tostrud started out managing the comparing department and then worked his way up to personnel manager and executive vice president. He retired in 1996.
William Mitchell, St. Olaf ties
Jerry Tostrud also served as a trustee of William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul from 1982 to 1991, serving three years as chairman. “West had a strong tie with Mitchell because so many employees went to Mitchell at night to get their law degrees to further their West careers,” Eric Tostrud said. “He saw the importance of the law school not just to West, but to St. Paul and Minnesota.”
Jerry Tostrud served on the St. Olaf College Board of Regents from 1996 to 2006, including four years as board chairman. He was elected as a senior regent in 2011, said Kat Dodge, a spokeswoman for the college.
The Tostruds gave $12 million to build the Tostrud Center to support recreation and athletics on campus. They also co-chaired “Fram! Fram! Forward St. Olaf,” a $125 million fundraising campaign in the early 2000s, and gave to the construction of Regents Hall, the natural and mathematical sciences building on campus, Dodge said.
All three of Jerry and Alleen Tostrud’s children went to St. Olaf: Eric Tostrud, Class of 1987, Karen Hoffmann, Class of 1989, and Jon Tostrud, Class of 1991.
Daughter-in-law Laurie Tostrud and three grandchildren also are graduates; one grandson is attending now, Eric Tostrud said.
“Olaf is a big part of our family life,” Eric Tostrud said. “It’s a way to give back to a place that made a difference in all our lives.”
Jerry Tostrud also served on the boards of the American Judicature Society, the Somerset Country Club and the St. Paul Foundation. At the time of his death, he was serving on the finance committee of his church, Eric Tostrud said.
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The Tostruds moved to Sunfish Lake in 1992 and split their time between Minnesota and Naples, Fla.
The Tostruds were longtime members of Somerset Country Club in Mendota Heights, Eric Tostrud said. “He loved playing golf,” he said. “He liked the fellowship it provided. Some days, I think he liked the reprieve of it, the competition. It just depended on the day.”
In addition to his wife and children, Tostrud is survived by six grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 18, at Augustana Lutheran Church in West St. Paul, with visitation one hour prior to the service and from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday.
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