Christopher Lund – Arlington

March 18, 1961 – March 19, 2017

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Christopher Duke Lund, 56, of Arlington, died Sunday, March 19, 2017, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, after a courageous 10-month battle with kidney cancer.    

Memorial services for Chris are  at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Arlington High School Gym with the Rev. Aaron Olson officiating. Visitation is from 5-8 p.m, on Friday in the high school gym.

Chris was born March 18, 1961, in Watertown to LeRoy and Peggy Lund. He grew up in the small town of Strandburg and attended Grant Deuel School in Revillo, graduating in 1979.  

He was a talented high school wrestler who placed third at the State B Tournament as a senior. 

This was quite an accomplishment considering he did not have any training partners.  Chris also played football for Grant Deuel and was an All-State lineman. 

Chris attended Northern State College from 1979-1983, where he earned a degree in education while wrestling and playing football for the Wolves. He earned All-Conference honors in football and was all-NIC honorable mention three times in his seasons on the gridiron. 

On the mat, Chris was a four-time national qualifier and a two-time team captain. In addition, he was an All-American heavyweight wrestler in 1981. He tallied the “Most Pins” at nationals that same year, and he was the first Northern State grappler to win an individual championship in the Northern Intercollegiate Conference.  He was inducted into NSU’s Hall of Fame in 2002. 

In the fall of 1984, Chris began working in Doland.  

He taught industrial arts and physical education while coaching football for nine years and wrestling for two years.  It was in Doland where he met Kerrie, his wife of 30 years.  Chris and Kerrie were married in August of 1986. 

His son, Austin, was born in 1988.

Over the next decade, he taught Austin how to fish, golf, and wrestle while the family made many lifelong friends and treasured memories in that small Spink County community.  In 1989, Chris earned his master’s degree from Northern State, and he served Doland as principal before moving to Arlington in the fall of 1998 to become the Cardinals’ junior high/high school principal. 

Next he pursued his specialist degree and transitioned to the role of Arlington superintendent and athletic director in 2001. Because Chris was not content to spend his days in the office, he took every chance he could get to visit with his students and staff. 

Outside of school, Chris loved watching Austin wrestle and play football. He also enjoyed coaching his son and his son’s teammates during baseball season. In addition, he enjoyed hunting, camping, and fishing with his family and countless family friends in the beautiful outdoors.    

Chris planned to retire in July of 2016, but God had other plans. After he was diagnosed with kidney cancer in May of 2016, Chris, with Kerrie by his side, made several trips to Mayo Clinic and Avera Hospital in Sioux Falls in an effort to restore his health. 

He is survived by his wife Kerrie; his son, Austin of Arlington; his parents LeRoy and Peggy Lund of Madison, Minn.; his sisters Vicki (Paul) Nelson of Ortonville, Minn., and Deb (Gary) Bauler of Madison, Minn.; and several loving aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews.    

Chris was preceded in death by his grandmother Alice Nelson of Madison, Minn., and his grandfather Leonard Rufer of Strandburg.  

 The family asks that memorials be directed to "Lund Strong Fish On" Scholarship Fund. 

The Johnson-Henry Funeral Home is in charge of funeral arrangements.