Gary Keith Lumsden

Gary Keith Lumsden began his new life with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on October 10, 2019 at Regions Hosp., St. Paul, MN at the age of 82 years, 5 months and 25 days,

            Gary was born on April 15, 1937 at Amery, WI to James and Minnie Victoria (Norden) Lumsden of rural St. Croix Falls, WI.  He attended school at St. Croix Falls and graduated from high school in 1956.  He played football and enjoyed the sport.  He participated in FFA and 4H.

            After graduating, he stayed and farmed on the family farm east of St. Croix Falls, WI. for about 10 years.

            On Dec. 10, 1960, he married Carolyn Louise Fischer at Star Prairie, WI.  To this union a daughter, Melonie Paj, was born.

            Gary was a member liaison for Polk Burnett Electric Co-op for several years in the 1960’s.

            They farmed at the family farm until 1970.  They raised registered Red Poll cattle and Spotted Poland China Hogs and later maintained a dairy herd as well.

            In 1972, they bought their own farm north of Bear Lake, east of Dresser, WI.  Here they maintained a dairy herd.  Gary enjoyed to experiment with crops and was an organic farmer without using herbicides and pesticides.

            Retiring in the fall of 2001, he and Carolyn were finally able to travel to many areas of the U.S. and throughout much of Canada which he enjoyed immensely.  He enjoyed the scenic countryside, making new friends and visiting with people along the way as they travelled. .

Later on, Gary developed an interest in steam traction engines.  After attending the U. of Rollag Steam Engineering, he took the State Test in St. Paul, MN and obtained his steam engineer’s license.  While not owning a steam engine, he helped others with steam engines and drove them in parades.

            He enjoyed two cylinder John Deere tractors and knew much about them,    fixing or helping fix numerous two-cylinder tractors.  He gave advice freely to anyone who asked him about them.  He and his long-time friend, Paul Wester, enjoyed participating in tractor pulls and won many trophies.

            Gary enjoyed traveling, genealogy, visiting with people and meeting new friends, keeping in touch with many of them through the years..  He was an avid reader, (especially history), feeding and watching birds, and enjoyed movies.  In his later years, he helped in the garden. It was a new kind of farming for him.

            He developed a keen interest in the iron crosses made by the early settlers of the Dakotas, who was of German/Russian descent.   After traveling to see and photograph the crosses, he developed his own style of iron crosses and made several of them, including markers for his own grave, wife’s grave, their dog’s graves and several others.

            Preceding him in death was their infant daughter, Melonie Paj, His mother and father-in law,  Fred and Iola Fischer, his parents, brother, Curtis,  sister, Phyllis, and their spouses, and many wonderful and close friends.

He leaves to mourn his wife Carolyn of almost 59 years, long-time friend, Paul Wester and wife, Patty, phenomenal and supportive family and friends, Gail and Salvador Martinez, Cheryl and Jim Erickson, Mary Kay Bednar, Karen Fischer, Debbie Matusovic, Royce and Judy Anderson, Dale Nissen,  Rudy and Ruth Mothes, Chris and Rebecca Lyman, his “adopted” granddaughter, Maija Peterson and mother Sue, Bob and Judith Peterson, Larry Anderson, other relatives and many good friends he acquired throughout the years who remembers his robust laugh, keen memory and friendly nature.

            After a gathering at the cemetery, he was laid to rest at the Lewis cemetery, rural Lewis, WI

            Kolstad Family Funeral Home, Centuria, was in charge of arrangements.

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