Gerald "Jerry" Kind

Gerald A. “Jerry” Kind, age 78, of Lakeville and formerly of Champlin, Buffalo, and Sauk Centre, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, at JB’s Homes Assisted Living in Lakeville, Minnesota.

A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 31, 2022, at the Church of Saint Henry in Monticello with Father Patrick Barnes officiating. Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday at the church. Inurnment will be at a later date at St. Paul’s Cemetery in Sauk Centre.

Gerald Albert Kind was born January 19, 1944, in Melrose, Minnesota to Gerhard “Gib” and Lorraine (Leitz) Kind. He graduated from Sauk Centre High School and started a lifelong commitment to music ministry at St. Paul’s Catholic Church. He earned his undergraduate and master’s degrees from St. Cloud State University. Mr. Kind was an English and Elementary Music teacher for decades in Buffalo, Minn. He taught high school students how to ace the ACT through Sylvan and Huntington. Jerry volunteered at Mercy Hospital, Hennepin Theatre Trust, Lyric Arts Theatre, and countless other religious and arts organizations. He had leadership roles in music and religious education at the Church of Saint Henry in Monticello, Minn., and Gloria De Cristo in Yuma, Ariz., where he was an accompanist, vocalist, and played in the bell choir. Jerry loved creating things, from personalized music lyrics for family holidays to retreat plans, quilts, correspondence, crafts, and home cooked meals. He also enjoyed travel, live music, theatre, winters in Yuma full of live music, cards, dominoes, Bingo, and even performing on stage himself and as part of the Yuma Barbershop Chorus! Most of all, he loved time with his beloved “Kind Family Friends.”

Survivors include his children, Elizabeth (Greg) Hansen of Lakeville, Minn., David Kind of Watertown, Minn., and Kristina (Eric) Willmarth of Eau Claire, Wisc.; grandchildren, Julia, Matt, and Caroline Hansen, Allison and Justin Kind, and Howard and Arlo Willmarth; sister, LuAnn (John) Day; nephew, Andy Day; and niece, Maggie Sandmann.

Gerald was preceded in death by his parents.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Minnesota Oncology, Church of Saint Henry, or MN Hospice.