Lynn Richard Berry, 80, of Park Rapids passed into eternal life on Friday, April 5, 2024 at Astera Health Hospital in Wadena, MN.
Lynn was born on June 20, 1943 in Hutchinson, MN to Richard and Shirley Berry and grew up on a dairy and crop farm halfway between Hutchinson and Brownton, MN. He went to school in Brownton and moved on to Winona State where he was proud to study biology in the midst of the river, bluffs and forests. He was employed by the Winona YMCA where he did everything from coaching junior high athletes to organizing and operating adult basketball leagues. Graduating in biology and math, he also prepared to work in coaching basketball and baseball. A highlight of his college years was serving as a graduate assistant on the tundra of Alaska.
In 1966 Lynn ventured to Park Rapids as a biology and math teacher and coach in two sports. He was head assistant on the Panthers’ only state tournament basketball team in 1970. He coached baseball for a few years and basketball for much of two decades.
In 1968 a young Home Economics graduate (Marilyn Feir) from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN began teaching at the high school. They were married in 1969 and had two children.
Lynn and Marilyn were members of Riverside United Methodist Church where Lynn held several committee positions through the years.
For several summers Lynn worked for Fullers’ tackle in Park Rapids with the fishing contest his specialty. He devised the structure of the Master Angler Contest and worked with Jerry Fuller in the implementation and scoring of it.
After retiring from teaching in 1997, he worked at the Baseball Nut Card Shop which he later purchased and ran for several years. He enjoyed most sports, especially those involving the Gophers, but he loved fishing and thoroughly loved living on Boulder Lake for 33 years.
Lynn will lovingly be remembered by his wife of 54 years, Marilyn and children Kimberly Rodlund of Lakeville, MN and Kevin (Rhonda) of Rockford, MN; grandchildren Solveig and Soren Rodlund; sister Joan Schnitzmeier and nephew Zachery Schnitzmeier of Fairmont, MN; several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law and many nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Shirley Berry and brother-in-law Steve Schnitzmeier.
Visitation will be held one hour prior to a Celebration of Life at 2:00 p.m. at Riverside United Methodist Church, Hwy 71 North in Park Rapids.
Arrangements by Cease Family Funeral Home of Park Rapids, MN. (ceasefuneralhome.com)
