John Franklin Lind

John Franklin Lind was born to John Clinton Lind and Helen Leone Greenlee Lind on December 24, 1938, in Harcourt, IA. He was the third born of four siblings, and the only boy. In his early years growing up in small-town Iowa, he developed a passion for fishing and hunting. His parents, John – a rural utility worker – and Helen, a committed homemaker, passed on to him an ethic of hard work.

Before graduating from Harcourt High School in 1957, his first trip outside Iowa was a senior class trip to South Dakota's Black Hills. He worked briefly for a construction company in Nebraska before his father enrolled him at Morningside College in Sioux City, IA. It was love at first sight when he saw Charma Joy Harmelink in the Homecoming parade. They married six months after starting to date, on June 2nd, 1961, at the Alton Reformed Church in Alton, IA. John and Charma were married for over 60 years.

John graduated from Morningside with a degree in business and physical education and an education qualification so he could teach. In their early years, John worked in Alta, IA as a teacher and coach for multiple subjects and sports, including football, basketball, track and field, DECA, shorthand, typing and history. During a snowbound stretch when school was cancelled for a month, he founded DK and the Dixieland Band with friends. John and Charma dreamed big and after four years in Alta they moved to Spencer, IA, where John was a coach and teacher of the year at Spencer High School. He supplemented his teacher's salary with odd jobs including trimming trees, painting houses and serving as a fishing guide at nearby Lake Okoboji. John and Charma also operated the Curtis Cafe and Little Red Dairy Barn each summer at the Clay County fair.

In 1977, John and Charma relocated to Burnsville, MN seeking new opportunities. John worked as a school administrator for many years, first in Burnsville, where he was assistant principal at Burnsville High School, and later in Littleton, CO, where he was director of the Arapahoe County vocational education. In 1990 he was appointed Director of the Area Vocational and Technical School in Kansas City, Kansas. He retired in 2002 and became a full-time caregiver for Charma, who had suffered a life-changing stroke in 2000.

John and Charma found many years of happiness in Palm Harbor, FL, where they relocated after John's retirement. John enjoyed daily walks with his golden retrievers on the Dunedin Causeway. He was an avid sports fan and never missed following his favorite teams, the Tampa Bay Rays, the Kansas City Royals and the Kansas City Chiefs. John and Charma were active members of the Kirk of Dunedin in Dunedin, FL. They enjoyed adventures and exploring the Florida Gulf Coast. Family was deeply important to John. He had great love for his children, Brian, Nicole and Jeremy. He adored his four grandchildren, cherishing times when they enjoyed pooltime and visiting the parks in Orlando. This endearing love led them return to the Kansas City area in 2018 to be close to family.

John was a member of Village Presbyterian Church in Prairie Village, KS. As well as the Kirk of Dunedin, he was previously a member of Knox Presbyterian Church in Overland Park, KS, and Peace Reformed Church in Burnsville, MN.

John died in Overland Park, KS, on December 17, 2025, at the age of 86.

John is survived by his children, Brian Lind of Lawrence, KS; Nicole (Mark) Webb of Overland Park, KS; and Jeremy (David) Lind of Sitges, Spain; his grandchildren Colin Webb, Lily Webb,

Sophia Lind, and Ryan Josiah-Lind; his sister Sindie Pietz; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and many dear friends.

He is preceded in death by Charma, his parents, and his sisters Donna Springer and Mary Sidles.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to the American Heart Association.