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MINNEOTA -- Daren Gislason will be remembered as a sensitive and caring teacher, a lover a of books, movies, and music, a creative gardener, an active community supporter, a friend, a cousin and a proud Icelander. Daren was a life long resident of Minneota; he died on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026.
Daren was born on December 9, 1931. He graduated from Minneota High and the University of Minnesota. Daren taught at the University of MN elementary lab school, as well as Wood Lake, Marshall, and Minneota. He created the "right to read" program that focused on students' needs and became a model program for education programs in Minnesota. Daren encouraged teachers to use materials (including comics) to engage their students and stimulate their interest in reading. He insisted that the school curriculum give students scheduled reading time every day to practice their reading and he modeled his love of reading with them. He loved his students and established long relationships with many of them. A Fred Cogelow wood carving in the Minneota Public Library honors Daren for inspiring countless students to love reading; it is a small boy, sitting on a tree stump reading a book, the inscription reads "Beets Weed-in."
Daren would say, "all you need in life is a library of books and a garden of flowers." Not only did he love teaching, and read prolifically, his gardens were a showcase of possibilities. One of his most memorable creations was Daren's Park, a 10 acre garden and gathering spot, next to the Yellow Medicine River, northeast of Minneota. Daren mowed paths through the tall grasses, lined paths through the woods with field stones, made resting spots along the paths with discarded furniture, planted flower and vegetable beds and rock gardens of succulents; an old car was used as a tool shed. Many weddings and celebrations were held at Daren's Park.
Daren was also an active community supporter. He supported the sports teams; and followed the accomplishments of his former students. For Minneota Historical Society and the Minneota Public Library was dream project he helped make possible. Daren wholeheartedly encouraged creative arts activities from poetry in the parks to readings with his favorite poet, Bill Holm. He loved the musical presentations at SMSU and the 4-handed piano performances of Bill Holm and Dan Rieppel; he supported the classical music concerts featuring local artist, Luke Norell. Music would blast from Daren's house, especially on Sunday mornings, or from his radio as he worked in his garden.
Daren was a proud Icelander, a cousin to many as well as a friend to all Icelanders (or wanna be Icelanders!). He was our family historian, who encouraged his cousin, Olive Evanson, to research, document and record the stories and connections of our parents and grandparents. Daren was committed to preserving the history he updated the records for Lincoln and Lyon county cemeteries, including the Westerheim Icelandic Cemetery and St. Paul's Lutheran cemetery, to include early burials from the 1880s, for which there are no markers or memorial stones.
Daren was preceded in death by his father William (Bill) Gislason, his mother, Cora (Johnson) Gislason, and his sister, Connie (Gislason) Vesterby.
There will be a celebration of life for Daren on Nov. 15th from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. at the City Hall Bar & Grill in Minneota.