Jon Koehmstedt, 41, photo from Grafton Public Schools
With just a week before classes begin at Grafton Public Schools, the community is grieving. The man who drowned in Minnesota’s Cass Lake Saturday has been identified as a North Dakota educator. Jon Koehmstedt, 41, was the athletic director and assistant high school principal for Grafton Public Schools and father of two children, aged 12 and 8.
Koehmstedt exited a pontoon boat around 5:50 PM to work on a motor problem but didn’t resurface. Juveniles on the boat tried throwing him a life jacket, but high winds caused the boat to drift away. Other boaters intercepted the pontoon and called for help.
His body was recovered shortly before 8 PM. Grafton superintendent Darren Albrecht said in a statement that Koehmstedt was known for “his quick wit, big heart, love for his children, and commitment to students.” He also coached football and basketball, and his obituary says “his most gratifying highlight” was coaching his daughter’s team in basketball.
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