Kathleen May Brand was born May 24, 1923 in Fargo, ND to William and Christine (Miller) Meissner. Kathleen grew up in Sabin, MN and Wilkin County, MN, and graduated valedictorian from high school in Wolverton, MN in 1941. She graduated from an accelerated teaching program at Moorhead State Teachers College in Moorhead, MN and taught at three different country schools in Wilkin County for four years. She met her husband Reuben Brand at the young people’s group at Christ Lutheran Church in Mitchell Township, while teaching at the country school Reuben had attended. On June 3, 1944, Kathleen and Reuben were joined in marriage at the same church. Together they raised four children, David, Mavis, Mary and Daniel on a farm just outside of Barnesville, MN, that they had purchased in 1951. After discovering sand on the property, they opened Brand Sand and Gravel, a company they developed and owned until 1977. Kathleen assisted in that business and was also a teacher’s aide in the elementary school in Barnesville from 1966 to 1976. They loved to travel, covering 49 states in their 63 years of marriage. They attended St. John’s Lutheran Church in Barnesville, where Kathleen was organist for 30+ years. They were winter visitors to Arizona until 2004, when they moved to Mesa, AZ. Until their permanent move to Mesa, they spent summers at their lake home on Lake Lizzie where Kathleen would garden, bake, sew and visit with friends and neighbors. Her love of the lake was matched only by her love of family and friends. Those she touched will not forget her kind and thoughtful deeds. She lived with her daughter Mary and son-in-law Roger in Queen Creek, AZ after Reuben’s death in 2007 until her recent move to Springdale Village Nursing Home in Mesa, AZ. Kathleen entered eternal life on July 6, 2016 at Springdale Village. Her family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to Hospice of the Valley.
She was preceded in death by her husband Reuben, her son David, a son-in-law Mike Thompson, her parents William and Christine Meissner, and her two sisters Helen and Alvina. Kathleen is survived by her two daughters, Mavis Thompson, Billings, MT, and Mary (Roger) Nelson, Queen Creek, AZ; her son, Daniel (Brenda) Brand, Pelican Rapids, MN; her brother, Robert (Phyllis) Meissner; seven grandchildren, Laura Russman, Jennifer Nelson, Shawn Thompson, Rebekah Williams, Mark Thompson, Nathan Brand, and Megan Schultz; 17 great grandchildren; and one great, great grandchild.
We love and miss you dear Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, and Great, Great Grandma. We know you are in our Dear Savior’s arms and we look forward to a glorious reunion with you in Heaven.
Memorial services will be held at San Tan Mountain View Funeral Home in Queen Creek, AZ, on Thursday, July 14, at 2:00 PM, and at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Barnesville, MN, on Thursday, August 4, at 11:00 AM.