On December 25, 2018, the Star Tribune published a wonderful article by James Walsh about former Lakewood president Ron Gjerde, Jr. retiring after almost 50 years.
Image by Leila Navidi – Star Tribune
The article starts:
Even after spending every working day as an adult at Lakewood Cemetery, Ron Gjerde still slips through the gates of this peaceful, contemplative place just to drive around the grounds at night.
“On nice evenings, we love to come here. It’s so quiet,” he said. “Beautiful.”
For nearly 50 years, Gjerde has worked to make Lakewood a worthy final resting place. At the end of the year, he will retire as cemetery president. But his unofficial job at this 250-acre final resting place on the southeast shore of Minneapolis’ Bde Maka Ska (formerly Lake Calhoun) has been caretaker of memories.
“I love it,” he said. “It’s been the best job I could think of.”
