Darwin TeBeest

Darwin TeBeest died Tuesday, February 10, 2026 at CCM Health in Montevideo at the age of 85.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at 11:00 AM at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Montevideo. Rev. Donald S. McKee will officiate and interment will be at Sunset Memorial Cemetery.

Visitation will be held on Monday, February 16 from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM at Anderson-TeBeest Funeral Home with a prayer service at 6:30 PM. There will also be visitation at the church for one hour before the service.

Darwin Russell TeBeest, also known as “Mr. T” or “T,” was born on November 2, 1940, in Watertown, South Dakota, to Benjamin "Ben" and Mable (Buus) TeBeest. He grew up on a farm and attended country school for his elementary education, graduating from South Shore High School in 1958.

Darwin earned his Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education, majoring in mathematics and business, from Northern State Teachers College in Aberdeen, South Dakota. He spent 2 summers taking classes for his Master’s Degree in Missoula Montana and completed his Master’s Degree in mathematics at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He often remarked how fortunate he was to have learned to read, despite having a different teacher each year in country school. He was especially appreciative of his first-grade teacher, who thoughtfully turned his paper so that, as a left-handed student, he would not have to write upside down.

Darwin met Janeen Joy Obermeyer while a student at Northern State and they were united in marriage on June 6, 1962, in Aberdeen, South Dakota. To this union, four children were born: Kevin, Sharon, Jonathon, and Allison. He spent 44 years as a high school math teacher, starting for a short time in New London and later in Montevideo, Minnesota. He also served as senior class advisor.

Darwin greatly enjoyed watching his students participate in the “Triple A’s”—Arts, Athletics, and Academics. This passion inspired him to become an official. He served as the timer for the Minnesota Girls’ State Basketball Tournament for 26 years and as an official at the Minnesota State Track and Field Meet for 33 years. Achieving the rank of Master Official in Track and Field, he officiated at numerous meets throughout the United States including the Big 10 Track and Field, US Olympic Festival, NCAA, and Drake Relays.

Darwin took great pride in administering the Montevideo Scholarship Fund for 48 years. His passion for the fund began when he was in high school. At that time, a funeral director in Watertown, South Dakota, Joe Messer, asked the school if there was a deserving student who needed financial help to attend college. The school recommended Darwin, and Mr. Messer generously provided the support he needed to pursue his degree. When Darwin later asked how he could repay him, Mr. Messer simply told him to help others. Inspired by that advice, Darwin dedicated himself to growing the Montevideo Scholarship Fund so that more students could fulfill their dreams of continuing their education after high school.

Faith was a very important part of Darwin’s life. He was a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Montevideo for over 59 years. He served two terms as both president and treasurer of the congregation. He found joy in placing ashes in the sign of the cross on members’ foreheads on Ash Wednesday and in visiting with ninth-grade confirmands. In retirement, he found great fulfillment in making homemade crucifixes out of clothespins, which he gave to friends and family and donated to residents at Luther Haven Nursing Home.

Darwin was honored to receive the Silver Beaver Award from the Boy Scouts of America. He mentored 41 Boy Scouts from Life rank to Eagle Scout. He was also pleasantly surprised to be inducted into the Montevideo Athletic Hall of Fame.

Darwin was never one to simply relax in the backyard. For many years, he maintained a Sunday morning paper route and mowed lawns and cleared snow for neighbors and friends. In his earlier years, fishing and cutting wood were favorite pastimes.

Darwin is survived by his children: Kevin (Judy) TeBeest, Sharon (Nathan) Boyum, Jonathon TeBeest, Allison (Jason) Kleindl; grandchildren: Karl (Annie Lang) TeBeest, Kyle (Camille) TeBeest, Kurt (Alyssa) TeBeest, Dustin Boyum, Heather Boyum, Janell (Mike Coyle) Boyum, Evan Buckingham, James Buckingham, Rory Kleindl, Quinn Kleindl; step-grandchildren: T’mone (Jordyn) Kleindl, Nyah Kleindl; great-grandchildren: Campbell Jane TeBeest, Carsyn Evelyn TeBeest, Kade Douglas TeBeest, and Klayton Darwin TeBeest; brother and sister-in-law: Judy and Jerry Miller; nephews: David (Shinim) Miller, Chad (Kim) Miller; God-Child: Anne (Lunde) Freeman and other extended family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents: Ben and Mable TeBeest; wife, Janeen TeBeest in 2021; stepfather, Ralph Kleven; and in-laws, Otto and Ruth Obermeyer.

In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred to the "Mr. T" scholarship fund in care of Anderson-TeBeest Funeral Home, PO Box 512, Montevideo, MN 56265. Online donation can be made to the link below.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/darwin-tebeest-mr-t-scholarship-fund