Gary Lee Hindt age 78 of Wabasso passed away on Thursday, November 23, 2023 at the Avera Marshall Regional Medical Center after a battle with cancer.  Memorial Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday November 30, 2023 at the Wabasso High School Activities Center.  Visitation will be held from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 29 at the school.  There will be an open mic for anyone that would like to share a short story about Gary from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.  Visitation will continue one hour prior to services on Thursday.  Interment is in the Bethany Lutheran Cemetery in Wabasso. Stephens Funeral Service -Redwood Valley Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. 

Gary Hindt was born September 30, 1945 in Slayton, MN to George & Josephine (Virt) Hindt.  He was baptized and confirmed at the Presbyterian Church in Iona.  Gary graduated from Fulda High School in 1963.  He attended Worthington Junior College for two years, and later received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from General Beadle State College (now Dakota State University) in Madison, South Dakota.  Gary began his teaching career in Wabasso in September 1968.  He taught Phy-Ed, Health & Geography in addition to being the coach for the wrestling and football teams.  He founded the Wabasso wrestling team, and was its head coach for 49 years.  He was the second winningest coach in Minnesota and seventh in the USA with a record 807-214-6 record.  On August 15, 1970, Gary was united in marriage to Jennifer Reichter in Goldfield, IA.  Gary also began selling Real Estate in 1975, and later became a broker and purchased Rural State Realty.  In 1994, Gary was inducted into the Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame.  Gary retired from teaching in 1999 from the same school district in which he began.  He retired from coaching football, but continued coaching wrestling until 2017.  Even in retirement he remained active volunteer coaching with the Rabbits football team.  Gary received the Class “A” State Coach of the Year in 2004 and 2006, and in 2018 he was inducted into the National Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame.  Gary was a lifetime member of the Minnesota Coaches Association.  He was also a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Redwood Falls, and the Wabasso Lions Club.  He was an active member of the “Wednesday Night Union Club”.  In his younger years, Gary was the singer in a band called “The New Springfields” for a number of years.  He loved spending time with family & friends and summers at the lake fishing and boating.  He loved being outside.  He also enjoyed spending time with his dog, Yoda.

Gary is survived by his wife Jenni of 53 years; daughters Heather (Mike) Arntson of Moorhead, MN & Erika (Cory) Huber of Huron, SD; grandchildren: Brennan, Emily, Grace & Andy, Daynon (fiancée Jaci), Mattie, Bryn & Tyce; siblings: Marian Lentz of Slayton, Helen Vogel of Slayton, Rose Knutson of Redwood Falls, Lloyd Hindt of Iona, & Carol (Pete) Kuhl of Ontario, California; and many other nieces, nephews and friends.  He is preceded in death by his parents, grandson Dominic and siblings: Doll, Clara, Evelyn, Dorothy, Richard, Florence, Donald and George.