Kay Keimig

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Kay (Hillmann) Keimig was born July 25, 1958 in Sleepy Eye, MN, to Fern and DeLloyd Hillmann. She joined two older brothers, and eventually one younger sister, working—and playing—on the family farm near Gibbon, MN. She was baptized, confirmed, and married at St. Peter’s Church in Moltke Township. She was an excellent athlete and was a member of the first women’s basketball team at Gibbon High School, following Title IX. She completed her nursing degree at Winona State in the spring of 1980 and married Ed Keimig June 21, 1980 after spotting him in his three-piece suit at the Gaylord Hospital cafeteria. They spent two years in Long Prairie before moving to Thief River Falls, where they had their first daughter, Rose, and Kay finished her Master’s in Public Health at UND. They moved to Red Wing in 1987 where they had two more daughters, Ann and Rachel. In 1993, Kay became the Director of Mille Lacs County Public Health, and the family finally settled on a small hobby farm near Milaca. In addition to moonlighting as a coroner, Kay returned to school and received her PhN degree from St. Scholastica in 2006. She worked as a psychiatric nurse practitioner at the St. Cloud VA until 2013, when Kay suffered a stroke and lost the use of the right side of her body. Despite the challenges that followed, Kay’s formidable strength and faith carried her through. Even with one arm, she could move boulders and dining room tables (down the stairs!). She danced at her youngest daughter’s wedding, celebrated the births of six grandchildren, and enjoyed winters in Alamo, Texas. She loved hot sunny days, flowers, and dogs of all shapes and sizes. She was a talented woodworker and gardener, and funnier than Ed. She was diagnosed with cancer in 2018 and entered hospice in June 2024. She’ll be remembered for her strong will, deep faith, and radiant smile. She was an active member of churches throughout her life, most recently at Pease Christian Reformed Church for the past ten years. 

She is preceded in death by her brother Alan and sisters-in-law Kathy and Linda. She is survived by her parents DeLloyd and Fern (Albrecht), brother Jerry (Lisa) and sister Rita (Kevin), her loving husband Ed, daughters Rose (Sarah), Ann (Mark), and Rachel (Thad), and grandchildren Riley, Thomas, Kasey, Raelynn, Henry, and Beatrix. She will be missed by all.

Memorial service will be held Friday, January 3, 2025 at 11 AM at the Christian Reformed Church in Pease with Dylan Moorlag officiating.  A reception and time of visiting and fellowship will follow in the Christian Reformed Church hall.  Memorials are preferred to the Christian Reformed Church in Pease.