In Remembrance

Tim Cayler

June 9, 1970 – June 4, 2025

Tim was born June 9, 1970, in Fargo, ND, to Roger and Janna (Audette) Cayler. His family lived in Moorhead, MN where he was baptized at St. Joseph Catholic Church before moving to a farmstead outside of Barnesville until adulthood. He began school at Assumption Catholic School and attended through fourth grade when the school closed in 1980. Tim transferred to Barnesville’s public schools. He graduated from Barnesville High School in 1988 and went on to attend St. John’s University, earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in music education in 1992. He later pursued a Master’s in Choral Conducting from St. Cloud State University. Many remember Tim being very active in both school and church where his love for music and God flourished.

Tim began his teaching career at Albert City-Truesdale School in Albert City, IA. The people in this small rural community adopted him so quickly as one of their own. His gift of connecting with people in deep ways made a life-long impact on him and them. Tim told so many stories about his six years there that when he moved back to Minnesota in 1999 to teach with Willmar Public Schools so he was a little closer to his family, they all thought he grew up in Iowa! As the Willmar Junior High (which turned into the Willmar Middle School) music teacher, he taught and directed choir and musicals until 2013. He also recently substituted as the choir director at Central Minnesota Christian School in Prinsburg. Through the 20+ years as a teacher, Mr. Cayler had impacted many, many lives with his gifts of kindness, mentorship, silliness, and connection. His high expectations for the youth under his care helped them to achieve a level of performance both musically and theatrically that they didn’t initially believe would ever happen. He knew students’ birthdays and would sing to them in class with an exaggerated version of the song that always ended with a run of the keyboard. He is so, so loved as one of the favorite teachers. His go to Friday Fun choir days in class often included the song “Lean on Me” with a few additional words and motions that students would joyfully sing down the halls or into their next class. 

While teaching in Willmar, Tim met fellow teacher Shannon Pohlmeier. Tim and Shannon were married on June 12, 2004, at the Church of St. Mary. Together they are blessed with four very loved sons—Matthew, 19, Aaron, 17, Isaac, 16, and Levi, 12—who were his greatest joy and constant source of pride.

 In 2013, he left teaching to share his musical gifts with the Church of St. Mary and the Catholic Area Faith Community of Jesus Our Living Water. As Director of

Music Ministry, he led choirs of all ages and believed wholeheartedly that he was only the accompanist to the musicians that lead the worship. 

Tim served as President of Music Matters and was a member of the American Choral Directors Association. He had a wide range of interests and hobbies including learning family history, antique collecting, gardening, baking, and reading western novels. His memory of how people are connected surpassed any other human being. Above all, he was his children’s biggest fan.

He is survived by his wife, Shannon; sons, Matthew, Aaron, Isaac, and Levi; parents, Roger and Janna Cayler of Barnesville; siblings, Mitchell (Kristy) Cayler of Maple Lake, Joe (Zelina “Linnie”) Cayler of Syracuse, UT, and Wesley Cayler (Scott Thomas) of Inver Grove Heights; his in-laws Pam and Roger Osborne of Eden Valley and Rich and Jackie Pohlmeier of Brownton; hundreds of extended family and friends.

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Kenneth Denzer

1928 – 2025

A man of immense musical talent, he brought joy to everyone who listened to him

play the piano or heard his singing voice. While the sounds of his music have ended, it will endure in our hearts and minds forever. Preceded in death by his wife of 66 years, Arlene Denzer; daughter, Laurie Beck; and brother Donald Denzer. Kenneth will be profoundly missed by his children: David (Linda) Denzer, Dana Denzer, Holly Denzer, and Jon (Wanda) Denzer; grandchildren: Matthew (Anne) Elmstrom, Ryan (Maggie) Denzer, Robert (Emily) Denzer, Ramsey (Alyssa) Larson, Sydni Larson, Bailey Kramer, and Eric (Allyson) Larson; great-

grandchildren: Jillian, Claire, James, Adaline, Natalie, Nora and Oaken; and sons-in-law: Brian Beck and Keith Larson.

Ken was born on December 14, 1928 to William (“Bill”) and Florence Denzer. At 7 or 8 years old, Ken began piano lessons with a woman from the family’s local church, Central Park Methodist. He attended Washington High School followed by Macalester College in St. Paul, graduating with a degree in Music Education and a minor in Spanish. One day, after following his friend Clarence Johnson home from college classes, Ken met the “girl of his dreams” – Clarence’s younger sister, Arlene. The two of them quickly fell in love and ultimately married at First Lutheran Church in St. Paul, Arlene’s home church, on August 26, 1950. Following his college graduation, marriage and a brief stint at his first teaching job in Amboy, MN, Ken was drafted and spent two years in the US Army based in El Paso, TX. Upon his return to MN, he and Arlene built a modest home in Roseville which was designed by his brother Don and built by his father, Bill. Ken  worked for Standard Oil downtown St. Paul for a short period before returning to his first love of teaching, landing at Highland Park Jr. High where he taught choral music for the majority of his career. Ken retired from full-time teaching in 1985 but continued to substitute teach for a bit.

In addition to his teaching, Ken held a sundry of part-time positions and participated in a variety of music-related activities over the years, becoming a true Twin Cities’ “Music Man”. He was choir director and/or organist at various churches, with his first organ job being at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in the 1950s-‘60s and his last being with Salem Lutheran Church in West St. Paul where he stayed on well into his ‘70s. He sang in the Macalester Church choir, at the Jewish Temple in St. Paul, with the “Dale Warland Singers” and the “International Singers” – both groups of which toured around the world – and with numerous other choral groups across the Twin Cities. When Ken wasn’t directing a church choir, singing with a group himself or unleashing an organ’s power chords to “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”, he was passionately accompanying the 3M Men’s Chorus which he joyfully did for 38 years, or the South St. Paul Chorus — both organizations through which Ken developed lifelong friendships and a great sense of accomplishment. While saddened by the loss of our beloved father, the Denzer children feel blessed knowing he lived a long and fruitful life which intersected with so many wonderful people, and we consider our dad’s many lifelong friends to be a testimony to a life well-lived. We will miss his relentless humor and his warmth.

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Robert D. Mix

1931-2025

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Robert “Bob” Mix, a beloved teacher, father, and celebrated choral conductor. Bob’s extraordinary contributions to the world of music, his dedication to his students, and his unwavering commitment to his family leave behind a profound legacy that will continue to inspire generations to come.

Bob was born in Austin, Minnesota, and his love for music began early in life. After earning his B.A. degree from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and his M. Mus Ed. degree from the University of Montana, Bob dedicated himself to teaching and mentoring students. His educational journey was further enriched by additional graduate studies.

Bob’s career spanned decades, with teaching roles at Lakefield, Glenwood, and

finally for 28 years at Duluth East High School. As the director of the A’Cappella Choir, Bob led his students on five concert tours of Europe and numerous performances at prestigious conventions, including those hosted by the American Choral Directors Association and the Music Educators National Conference. Under his leadership, the choir achieved tremendous success, performing at choral festivals at colleges throughout Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. One of their most memorable moments was in 1976 when the choir was chosen to perform at the Ellipse of the White House as part of the Bicentennial Celebration. His choir also toured Mexico, Canada, and many other destinations throughout the U.S.

Beyond his work at Duluth East, Bob was a dedicated church choir director for 22

years at First Lutheran Church and served as a guest conductor for several festival choirs. His remarkable ability to inspire and bring out the best in his students was recognized through numerous accolades. Bob received the F. Melius Christiansen Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004, the Weston H. Noble Choral Award from Luther College in 2008, and was inducted into the Austin High School Music Hall of Fame in 2009. He was also honored with the inaugural

Duluth East Hall of Fame induction in 2012.

In 2009, Bob celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the A’Cappella Choir with a memorable reunion and concert with hundreds of alumni attending, solidifying his place as an influential figure in the choral music community. His contributions were not only marked by accolades, but by the countless lives he touched through music, mentorship, and a deep passion for his craft. He celebrated his 90th birthday in 2021 with the gift of a virtual choir performance called “Hallelujah Chorus for Bob Mix,” featuring past students, family, and colleagues. It became a cherished tribute that he watched on YouTube often in the final years of his life.

Bob’s love for teaching was matched only by his devotion to his family, particularly to his wife Lois. A proud father, he instilled in his children the same values of dedication, love for the arts, and hard work – particularly at the family cabin, which he and Lois built from the ground up. His legacy as a husband, father, mentor, and educator will be remembered with the utmost respect and affection.

He was preceded in death by his parents Winford and Eva Peterson Mix, brother David Mix, and son Jonathan Mix. He is survived by his beloved wife Lois of 68 years, son Gregg (Laura), daughter Gia (Kevin), grandchildren: Becca (Larry), Kelsey (Jack), Andrew (Carla), Emily, Claire, Lauren, John, and Tyler, and four great grandchildren: Roxanne, Sienna, Michael and Greta, sister in-law Vivian, and many nieces and nephews. His family and his students who cherished him as a teacher, a friend, and a remarkable individual will miss him greatly.