Obituary
Darren Michael Kinder
Darren Michael Kinder, 51, of La Crosse, passed away suddenly on March 31, 2026 in his home. He was born December 16, 1974 to Richard and Jeanne (Losinski) Kinder.
Darren graduated from Logan High School in 1993 and later earned a Bachelor of Science in History, with an emphasis on European History, from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse. After high school, he completed his Certified Nursing Assistant training at Western Wisconsin Technical College and worked at Chileda for 18 years. Darren was deeply committed to patient care and valued the opportunity to connect with the individuals he served. He later worked several years for Gundersen/Emplify Health, and his most recent employment was with Mayo Clinic Health System. He enjoyed hunting, gardening, cooking, reading, genealogy, Canada fishing trips, trap shooting with family, and his black Labradors. Darren was an avid Brewers baseball fan and staunch supporter of the Epilepsy Foundation of Wisconsin.
Darren is survived by his parents; siblings, Tad (Maria) Kinder and their children, Lola, Annabel, Jaxon, Zach; Ricci Herrmann and her children, Leah, Kindra, Aubree, Rowdy; his loving Lab, Pacer; and many aunts, uncles, endearing cousins, and close friends. He was preceded in death by his paternal and maternal grandparents, honored uncles, aunts, cousins, and his loving dog Jack.
As a loyal Star Wars fan would have it, his remembrance service will be held on May 4th, 2026 at The Gathering Place, 133 Mason St., Onalaska. Visitation will be from 4-5:30 and remembrance from 5:30-6. Private burial will be at a later date.
Dick & Jeanne would like to thank family and friends for all their support during this difficult time. In lieu of flowers, it would give his parents & family great comfort if you plant something or hang a bird feeder to honor Darren, giving life in return. Any donations or gifts will be donated to the Epilepsy Foundation of Wisconsin in Darren’s name.
“See you over the Rock Dam, Prez DK”
I’m so sorry to hear about Darren’s passing. He was a caring person, dedicated to the kids of Chileda and a great coworker and friend. My thoughts are with you and your family during this difficult time.
I am sorry for your loss. I went to school with Darren through middle and high school. He was a year behind me. I also had the privilege of working with him many years ago at Chileda. Darren was always wise beyond his years, he was kind, funny, genuinely a good friend. He touched many lives with his presence.
So sorry for your loss, Darren was a good friend of mine when we lived in La Crosse. I live in South Carolina now and we would chit chat text messages how things were going. I will miss him.
I am so sorry for your loss. Darren would randomly stop and talk to my dad (Art Melby). He will be missed!
Darren and I knew each other through my work at Chileda. I enjoyed are conversations and the many things we pondered together. Truly a good person. I was happy to have known him. A bright light!!!! So sorry for your loss.
I really enjoyed getting to know Darren when he was a student at Logan. We always joked about a birthday cake he made for me one year. He thought a coffee cake wasn’t complete without ground coffee! One bite was quite a taste treat. A great guy, a good student, and a generous soul. Will be missed by everyone who got to know him. My condolences to his parents and family.
Sending my condolences. I’m so sorry for your loss. I will plant something special in his memory.
Dick & Jeanne- We are so sorry to hear of Darren’s passing. He was such a nice guy and a great customer. God Bless your family now & always.
Ricci our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Sending prayers for peace and comfort. We are sincerely sorry for your loss. Hugs- Dan and Chris Lenser
Darren was a one-of-a-kind guy with a heart of gold. I had the honor of working with him at Gundersen in a couple different departments. The compassion and kindness he offered our patients was special. I even got the nickname “Peeps” from him, which always made me smile!
Miss ya, DK!
I got to know Darren from the neighborhood. Great person. So sorry for your loss.
Oh my goodness, there are no words deep enough to tell you my shock in reading Darren’s obituary. He was a great Roosevelt student! Darren was always kind, caring and smart beyond his age. He was a joy in the classroom and stayed in touch after his Logan graduation! I will miss his chats. My condolences to his family! RIP Darren!
I am so so sorry to hear about Darren’s passing. What a wonderful man. His mentor was my partner, Don LaCoss, and he used to babysit for us when our son was little–I have a great photo of them both in Star Wars outfits. My sincere condolences. Gone too soon.
It’s well known that if you want to have a good and loyal friend get yourself a dog.Darren had that with Jack and Pacer. A role they filled in Darren’s life. I was always pleased when he would call me his 2nd Dad. A role I accepted and tried to fill for him. We would spend countless hours fishing and talking on many of Canada’s beautiful lakes. My wish is when you talk with God he will send you to a beautiful lake in haven and someday I will meet you there …and we would just talk. Peace is now yours my good young friend.
We were all surprised to hear of your loss. —
friends in Winona
I worked with Darren at both Chileda and Gundersen. He possessed a most kind and compassionate heart, and he never failed to make me laugh whenever I saw him. He had a special way of brightening every space he entered. My deepest sympathy goes out to his family and all who loved him.
My heartfelt condolences to you and your family, Jeanne. My daughter and Darren went to Logan together. She always had only good things to say about him. So sorry for your loss.