Community rallies to support family after deadly Fairhaven Township crash

Tina Timmers’ death in a Fairhaven Township crash left one Minnesota family facing grief, injuries and the practical costs that follow a sudden loss, and neighbors quickly stepped in with meals and donations.

Timmers, 56, of St. Augusta, died at the scene Sunday, April 12, after a rollover crash at County Road 44 and County Road 7 in Stearns County. The family was traveling in a Ford Expedition driven by Timmers’ 16-year-old son when the westbound SUV entered the intersection and collided with a northbound Dodge Ram truck at about 7:20 p.m. Four other family members were injured.

The crash has since become a rallying point for support. A GoFundMe campaign titled Honoring Tina and Helping Her Family Heal was started for the family, and a meal train was organized as relatives and friends looked for concrete ways to help. One report said the fundraiser had reached 94% of its goal by Monday, April 20.

The fundraiser identified the family members involved as Ehren, Grant, Gavin and Patrick, and said the family experienced an unimaginable tragedy that evening. Tina died despite efforts to save her. The response that followed has centered on the kinds of needs that can pile up fast after a fatal crash: meals, transportation, time away from work, medical care for the injured and support for children and family members trying to steady themselves after the collision.

Benson Funeral Home in St. Cloud listed visitation for Tina Marie Timmers for Wednesday, April 22, from 4 to 8 p.m. The obituary said Timmers, a St. Augusta resident, died in a tragic automobile accident in Fairhaven Township.

The outpouring around the family shows how quickly small-town networks mobilize when loss hits close to home. In Otter Tail County and across central Minnesota, similar moments often begin with a fundraiser or a casserole and then widen into a wider circle of support, as neighbors absorb the immediate costs that insurance and grief do not cover.