Lund is retiring after 21 years as an Olmsted County judge
May 16—ROCHESTER — After 21 years on the bench and more than 40 practicing law in Rochester, Judge Kevin Lund is retiring from the Third Judicial District Court this summer.
Lund, a life-long Rochester resident who described himself as "an accidental lawyer" when he was
sworn in as a judge in 2001
, recently wrote to Gov. Tim Walz as notification of his planned retirement on Aug. 4.
"This aspect of my blessed life has been rewarding, exhausting, meaningful, and insightful, among other things. I will profoundly miss the camaraderie of the array of wonderful people I have worked with and relied upon at the courthouses in both Olmsted and Winona counties," wrote Lund. "Moreover, I will miss the courtroom — my professional environment for over 40 years."
Lund, who presided over the majority of local juvenile cases, will turn 68-years-old in July. He will be replaced by Judge Christa M. Daily. Daily is shifting her chambers from Mower County to Olmsted County.
She will take the chambers on the sixth floor of the courthouse that Lund has occupied and filled with antiques and memorabilia for 21 years.
In his letter to Gov. Walz, Lund described his plans for a quiet future.
"Very simply, the time has come to wander our wooded acreage in Fillmore County, pilot the 1965 Whit Craft houseboat in Winona on the Mississippi River, reflect, and see where that leads," he wrote.
Lund has a long, active history in the community.
He practiced law in Rochester as a principal of the Lund and Patterson Law firm for 20 years.
Lund was a Rochester School Board member, where he advanced to serve as president of the board until his appointment in 2001 by then-Gov. Jesse Ventura.
He is also known as a passionate advocate of the
preservation and restoration of historic buildings
, like the Historic Chateau Theater in downtown Rochester.
