Rosholt, Karlton Jerome 1923-2008
ROSHOLT, SOLEM, HANSON
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 11/25/2012 at 14:09:50
Karlton Jerome “Jerry” Rosholt, age 85, of Decorah, Iowa, died Friday, April 4, 2008 at Aase Haugen Home in Decorah of cancer.
Memorial Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Friday, April 11, 2008 at First Lutheran Church in Decorah with Rev. Marion Pruitt Miller officiating. Inurnment will be in Rockdale, WI at a later date.
Friends may visit with the family from 4:00-7:00 P.M. Thursday, April 10 at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah and one hour before the service at the church on Friday.
Karlton Jerome “Jerry” Rosholt was born January 20, 1923 in Glasgow, Montana, the son of Carl and Edith (Solem) Rosholt. He was baptized in Roanwood, Montana, by Rev. Amund Bue and confirmed in Norwegian Grove, Minnesota, by Rev. Harold Bjornson. Jerry attended elementary school in Alexandria, Minnesota, and graduated from high school in Pelican Rapids, Minnesota. He was a 1948 graduate from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.
Jerry was united in marriage with Carolyn Janelle Hanson on August 28, 1947 in Oak Park, Illinois. This union was blessed with three sons: Rhys, Dirk, and Cort.
Jerry attended Luther College, but was interrupted by World War II. During the war, he served with the 95th Infantry Division. After the war, he was graduated from Luther with a degree in speech and business administration in 1948. Luther College later honored him with the first Oliver Eittreim Award for Excellence in Broadcast Media (1977) and a Distinguished Service Award (1998).
In 1957, following the launch of Sputnik, Jerry was the first American journalist to report that mankind had entered the space age. For this report, Jerry was awarded the Distinguished Journalist Award by Sigma Delta Chi (now known as the Society of Professional Journalists Sigma Delta Chi Award).
In 1962, Jerry started working for NBC News in Philadelphia at WRCV-TV. In 1964, he represented NBC for the News Election Service. In 1966, he transferred to New York City, writing for WNBC radio. He covered the August 1967 Newark, New Jersey riot, which resulted in his being promoted to the Huntley-Brinkley Report.
During the final years of the Huntley-Brinkley Report and during the period of time that David Brinkley was anchor of the NBC Nightly News, Jerry was a field producer, notably supervising the Emmy award winning NBC coverage of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. He also covered the US-USSR Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT), the Sadat-Begin Peace Talks, the William Calley trial, several Civil Rights demonstrations, anti-Vietnam War protests and national political conventions from 1964 to 1988.
In 1972, Jerry became personal producer and head editor for John Chancellor. Transferring to NBC News Computers, Jerry finished his career rising to the level of director and retiring in 1988.
In 1996, Jerry was asked by Darell Henning, curator of Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, to compile a database of Norwegian immigrants who fought in the American Civil War. In 2003, Vesterheim opened an exhibit on Norwegian-American soldiers. Accompanying the exhibit was the database and a book written by Jerry, Ole Goes to War: Men from Norway Who Fought in America's Civil War.
In September 2006, Jerry was awarded the St Olav's medal by King Harald V of Norway “in recognition of [his] great services to Norway, in particular [his] active involvement with the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum on its Civil War project." The medal was presented on October 21 in Decorah, Iowa, by Norwegian Consul General Rolf Hansen.
Jerry was a member of the Decorah Rotary Club, Oneota Golf and Country Club, Symra Society, VFW, American Legion, Elks, Decorah Genealogic Society, and the Sons of Norway Noreg Lodge #466. He enjoyed golfing and had an interest in genealogy and Norwegian culture.
Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Edith Rosholt; stepmother, Amelia Rosholt; and his wife, Carolyn in 1993.
He is survived by three sons: Rhys Rosholt of New Rochelle, New York, Dirk Rosholt of New York, New York, and Cort Rosholt of Bordentown, New Jersey; and one brother, Norman (Darlene) Rosholt of Decorah, Iowa.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the First Lutheran Church of Decorah Food Bank or the Salvation Army.
Source: Fjelstul Funeral Home database
Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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