Jeremy Pollestad finally won his last argument when he passed away on Monday, April 27, 2026 at Kittson Memorial Hospital, Hallock, MN. Somehow, he managed to charm his way through 45 years of life with a mix of stubbornness, sarcasm, and wit.

He was born to Margaret and Greg Pollestad on January 6, 1981, and attended Drayton Public School, where he was a member of the infamous 5th Street gang and met his best friends, Tyler, Ryan, Kenny, and Kent. Margaret showed Jeremy the joy of good food. She loved to make him his favorite foods, including mint brownies and her famous pasta salad. Greg showed him that if you repeat a dad joke enough, your son will eventually tell it too—and that "looks aren't everything." Together, they instilled in him a fierce sense of family, loyalty, and the belief that family is more than just who you are related to by blood.

On June 16, 2012, Jeremy united in marriage with Erin Droske, officially sealing a partnership built on love, laughter, and just the right amount of sarcasm. (Jeremy also gained a favorite sister-in-law who was endlessly united with him against Erin.) Their years together were filled with movie marathons, unforgettable trips, inside jokes no one else understood, and a bond strong enough to survive countless "adult discussions" (otherwise known as arguments). Through it all, they remained each other's greatest adventure—navigating life's ups and downs with humor, unwavering support, and a love that was as deep as it was stubborn.

Jeremy was a dedicated and loving father. He proved time and again that biology doesn't stand a chance against stubborn love—Avery was his daughter because he chose her, and once Jeremy decided something, that was that. He cherished his time with Avery, bonding over their shared love of Harry Potter and movies, and building things together. There wasn't a project the two of them couldn't handle. He often reminded Erin that the only reason he married her was because of Avery. She taught him how to be a dad, and he taught her to never give up an argument and to wield wit like a superpower.

With Finn, he loved watching sports, especially teaching him the fine art of yelling at the TV during games. Countless hours were spent at the hockey rink reminding Finn and his teammates to "Skate, skate, skate," while also making sure they didn't take the game too seriously—like trying to get Connor to dance at faceoffs. Afterward, Jeremy was always ready to break down the finer points of the game. Finn learned to think the game through because of Jeremy and will carry on his passion for the Minnesota Vikings (poor kid), along with Minnesota sports, golf, hunting, and fishing.

In November 2023, Jeremy, Erin, Avery, and Finn welcomed Weasley, an orange kitty, into their home. Despite Jeremy's best efforts, Weasley quickly chose Erin as his person—a devastating blow to Jeremy, who had fully embraced his role as a "cat dad" and was desperate for affection.

Determined to win over a feline fan of his own, they brought home Minerva (Mini) in October 2024, convinced she would naturally become his cat. However, fate (and Mini) had other plans. In October 2025, they tried again and added Lilly, who, it turns out, refuses to snuggle anyone.

While he often complained about "those darn cats," he never stopped trying to win them over—even Weasley and Lilly, both considered lost causes. On the rare occasions Mini chose to snuggle him, he counted it as a clear and undeniable victory.

Jeremy spent 15 years at CHS, where he worked hard, complained harder, and still managed to make friends.

He also spent 10 years coaching girls' softball until he retired (from coaching, that is), which gave him the perfect excuse to yell (with love) at kids who listened about as well as his own. He eventually became commissioner of the North Valley Girls Softball League for several years—largely so no one could tell him he was wrong.

Every year, when coaching came up, he'd complain about missing men's night golf. Erin would point out he hadn't played in years—and didn't even have a partner. "Oh, I'll find one," he'd insist, before agreeing to coach again—quietly proving he loved coaching those girls more than he ever said.

When he wasn't coaching, running between the rink, or attending Avery's plays and concerts, Jeremy could be found doing what he truly loved—fishing. Whether it was open water in the summer or sitting on a frozen lake in the dead of winter like a true North Dakotan, he was happiest with a rod in hand, patiently (or not-so-patiently) waiting for the big one while insisting he knew the best spot.

Much to his disappointment, Finn holds the family record for biggest walleye, Avery for biggest stick, and Jeremy for reeling in a wrench he was convinced was a monster. Erin, meanwhile, never caught anything—something Jeremy attributed to her "bad attitude," lack of patience, and short attention span. Erin denies these allegations and maintains she's simply cursed.

Beyond the many ways Jeremy showed off his kind heart and generosity in his everyday life, he also proved this in another important way by donating blood every chance he got. Any time he was eligible to donate, he went out of his way to show up and give as much as he could. There's no telling how many people's lives he impacted through this generosity over the years.

He leaves behind his children, Avery and Finn, who will carry on his wit, competitiveness, and fierce love for family—and chosen family. His lifelong best friends, Tyler, Ryan, Kenny, and Kent, are left to carry on his legacy of inappropriate jokes, questionable decisions, and arguing until they are proven right.

He is also survived by his parents, Margaret and Greg; his sister, Lindsay and nephews, Gage and Mason, whom he loved deeply and was incredibly proud of (even if he didn't say it enough), often referring to them as "absolute beasts"; his brother, Trevor; his sister-in-law, Ashley (Peter) and Quin, his favorite niece, who could get him to do or say anything—and was the only person who never got a joke or sarcastic comment (the only one he was always nice to); his brother-in-law, Greg (Bridget); his favorite in-laws, Dale (Kim) and Sally (Dave); and his wife, Erin, whom he loved and supported endlessly.

In honor of his memory, the family asks that you do something he would have loved: refuse to admit you're wrong, donate blood, go fishing (even if you don't catch a damn thing), go golfing, watch a Vikings game with full confidence that this is their year (even though we all know better), and spend time with the people you love.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Hallock Fire Department, Hallock Ambulance, Kittson Memorial Hospital, or Hockey Fights Cancer (http://main.acsevents.org/goto/hallock). Kindly skip the plants, as Erin has yet to keep one alive—or simply remind someone that you are, in fact, right.

A celebration of life will be held in Jeremy's memory on Friday, May 1 at 3:00 p.m. at Maria Lutheran Church in Kennedy, MN. Visitation will be held in the church for an hour before the service. Following the service, the celebration of Jeremy's life will continue with the sharing of memories, food, and drinks at Craft Brewhaus in Hallock, MN. All are welcome to join and help Jeremy's family honor his life in a way that he would have loved.