Darrell Sears

Darrell Sears was born November 14, 1925, in Paradise, Montana. His family moved to Brainerd in 1933, where he graduated from high school in 1942. In 1943, he enlisted in the Naval Officers training Corps in Minot, North Dakota, then spent a year in Midshipman’s School at Columbia University in New York before he was shipped overseas during World War II. He returned to Brainerd in 1946 and enrolled at Brainerd Community College.

In 1948, he married Beverly Martin. They moved to St. Paul, where he graduated from St. Paul College of Law (now William Mitchell). He was employed by the St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Co. Darrell and Beverly had 3 daughters (Linda Cannon, Pamela Sherburne, and Kimberly Finch) and 1 son (James).

In 1954, they moved back to Brainerd, where Mr. Sears opened his law office and practiced law ever since. In 1974, Governor Wendell Anderson appointed him a county judge. He was elected in 1976 to a six-year term. He had been a judicial officer for the court from 1972-74 and was a part-time Brainerd municipal judge for six years before that.

Music was his life outside of his law practice and judicial work. Some would say it was the other way around. He was associated for 25 years with Brainerd Community College’s Community Theatre program, starting with BCC’s first production in 1969. Darrell was an acknowledged musician who wrote the theme song for the nationally known Geritol Frolics, which is a musical variety show presented in vaudeville fashion by talented performers over age 55 from around the Brainerd Lakes area. He was also the music director of the Geritol Frolics from its inception in 1989.

In 1988, Darrell was the recipient of the BCC Distinguished Service Award and, in 1994, he was the recipient of the BCC Distinguished Alumni Award.

Darrell Sears, well known as the music director of the Geritol Frolics and a former judge, passed away on Sunday, November 20, 1994, after a brief illness. He was 69.