Jerome Prince

Jerome Prince, 94, of Hibbing, passed away at home on February 26, 2022. He was born November 26, 1927 to Harold and Cecelia Prince in Hibbing. He married Orpha Carlson on July 16, 1955 and together raised six children ~ Michael, Jill, Patty, Nancy, Ann and Susan.
Jerry was a life-long Hibbing resident, and a graduate of Hibbing High School. He served in the army and was in the occupation forces in Korea 1946 to 1948. Following his discharge he attended Dunwoody Institute and earned his architectural license.
Jerry began work at the age of nine with a morning paper route. When his friend, Leo “Tux” Tastsides began work at Sunrise Bakery, Jerry inherited Tux’s route customers. He later joined Tux working evenings at Sunrise Bakery. When Tux got off of his shift in the early morning, he would often put doughnuts in a paper bag, and as he passed Jerry’s house, he would tie the bag to a string hanging from Jerry’s ankle, who was asleep upstairs in bed! Treats for breakfast!
When World War II began in 1942, Jerry was 15 years old. Because of the mining labor shortage, he was excused from his last study hour and went to the Hull Rust mine to work with his dad, a shovel runner in the pit.
Jerry’s daughters were horse lovers and though he knew nothing about horses, he and the girls learned and worked together building the barn, fencing and putting up hay. His good friend, John Pocrnich named him “The 6th Avenue Cowboy“ because that’s where he grew up – not on a farm!
Tux introduced Jerry to motorcycles, which turned into a life-long love of the open road. This extended to his son and daughters with trips on their motorcycles to the surrounding states, the Florida Keys and out west many times to Glacier Park.
His other love was Balsam Lake. He and Orpha snowshoed in before purchasing in 1956, a tiny cabin on the “hogsback” overlooking a creek flowing into Balsam Lake. They then built a second cabin on the lake shore. No electricity at the cabins, so for many years in January, friends and relatives met at Balsam Lake to cut ice, sawing blocks of ice precisely measured to fit in the ice house, packed in sawdust for use the following summer.
Jerry is survived by his wife Orpha, of almost 67 years, his son Michael (Cheryl), daughters Jill (Richard Bluhm), Patty (Douglas Black), Nancy (Patrick Doar), Ann Prince and Susan Prince, grandsons Mark and Matt Prince, David and Joe Black, granddaughters Kelly Kaseno, Claire Bluhm, great grandson Beau Bluhm, brother John Prince and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Donna Halvorson and Gail Javorina, infant brother Paul, and beloved grandson Nicholas Prince Kaseno.
Celebration of life to be held at a later date.