Just in time for their big event tomorrow, February 2nd, we had the team behind Call Me ‘Jerry’: A biography of Gerald W. Vandewalle, North Dakota’s Longest-Serving Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in the studio to talk about the process of writing and researching the book.
North Dakota Newspaper Association Director, Cecile Wehrman recorded over 50 hours of interviews with Jerry to write a biography big enough to fit the stories of one of the most influential figures in North Dakota’s history.
From court cases to community conversations, Steve Andrist, John & Elaine Andrist Charitable Trust, sits down with Cecile and Levi Andrist to discuss the process of starting, researching, and writing the biography as well as sharing personal anecdotes about their own experiences working with Vandewalle.
"You know, as Chief Justice, you can't just go down to the bar and talk about your work."
Cecile remarks on the unique way VandeWalle conducted the difficult nature of the position. She continues on to describe how becoming a neutral party to the people became one of his greatest strengths as a community member and public figure.
Hearing from Cecile, Levi, and the public in the time airing the program, it seems that VandeWalle will be remembered not just for the precedence he has set as Chief, but as a valued community member with a reputation for remembering names and holding doors.
"Everyone who has ever met Jerry, feels like they're his friend."
A celebration of the book and Jerry will be held February 2nd, 2026 at the North Dakota Heritage Center at 4:30pm. You can find the book online on The Journal’s website.