Kristina “Kristi” Dawn Taina died Friday, April 28, 2017, at her Dassel home. She was 64. 
A funeral service will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday, May 6, at the Evangelical Covenant Church in Dassel with the Rev. Keith Carlson officiating. The interment will be held at a later date. A time to gather with the family will be held from 3-6 p.m. Friday evening, May 5, at the Johnson Funeral Home in Dassel and one hour prior to the service Saturday at the Evangelical Covenant Church in Dassel.
Kristina “Kristi” Dawn Taina was born April 18, 1953, in Litchfield to Dale and Lila (Almquist) Cates. Kristi grew up in Kingston and attended Kingston Elementary School and graduated in 1971 from Litchfield High School. Kristi graduated from Ridgewater College in Hutchinson in 1993, with a degree in Metallurgy. She was baptized at the Kimball United Methodist Church and was confirmed at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Kingston. Kristi was united in marriage Feb. 5, 1972, to Robert Taina at the Crow River Lutheran Church in rural Cokato. Together they made their home in Kingston before they moved to Dassel in 1974. Kristi had been employed at HTI for 10 years. After schooling, she was employed at Medtronics for seven years before she retired.
Kristi was the 1970 Litchfield High School Homecoming Queen. She loved holidays, especially Halloween and spending time with her family and friends camping, and had spent many Memorial and Labor Day celebrations at the Cates Campground in Kingston. She enjoyed playing games, playing with and loving all her grandchildren, baking, and making salsa. She could often be found outside in her backyard enjoying nature, gardening, and taking care of her flowers. She loved to take rides around the countryside and had enjoyed the family vacations and camping trips. She loved life!
Kristi was preceded in death by her parents Lila and Dale Cates, brother Robin Cates, nephew Paul Cates, and a great-niece Kelly Rasmussen.
She is survived by her husband Robert of Dassel; children Heather (and Gary) Turja of Kingston, Shane Taina of Dassel, Andy (and Hiedi) Taina of Dassel; five grandchildren Doug Potter, Lilly Turja, Stella Turja, Addison Stenmark, and Carli Taina; siblings Kim (and Maxine) Cates of Kingston, Mike (and Julie) Cates of Kingston, Karen (and Ron) Rasmussen of Kingston, Perry (and Christine) Cates of Watkins, and sister-in-law Jody Cates of Dassel, along with a good friend Mary Ring.