Obituary: Judge Patrick Diamond

The Honorable Patrick “Pat” Diamond, loving husband, father, and grandfather passed away peacefully at the University of Minnesota Hospital on February 9, 2025, after suffering a cardiac arrest. Pat was born June 28, 1960, in Hudson, Wisconsin, the second of three children to Gwen and Henry Diamond.

He attended St. Thomas Academy and Hamline University from which he graduated in 1982 as a Phi Beta Kappa. He attended the University of Minnesota Law School and was the Research and Note Editor of the Law Review. He was the recipient of the Felix Moses Award as well as the Amos Deinard Award. He clerked for Federal Appellate Judge Gerald Heaney of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals in a long line of devoted clerks. He was the Deputy County Attorney and a managing attorney for the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office from 1992-2012. Pat argued a case before the United States Supreme Court in 2007. He was appointed to the Ramsey County District Court by Governor Dayton in 2012.

Pat had a wicked wit and big heart. He advised colleagues on legal matters and sought out their advice as well. He was committed to serving justice especially on Treatment Court, Drug Court and Juvenile Delinquency matters.

Pat loved the outdoors. He enjoyed winter camping, downhill and x-country skiing, cycling, open water swimming, as well as kayaking and sailing on Lake Superior. He also enjoyed attending minor and major baseball tours with friends and, more recently, curling. He was an avid reader and great storyteller. He loved cooking and pondering recipes.

He volunteered many years as a Youth Week Counselor at Camp Unistar, a Unitarian-Universalist camp on Star Island, Cass Lake, Minnesota when his sons, Charlie and Sam, attended and after they aged out of the program. Pat’s family enjoyed many Family Weeks at Unistar.

Pat took Charlie and Sam on downhill skiing trips out west and Europe. He went on many adventures with Beth. In recent years, they were lighthouse keepers in the Apostle Islands.

Pat is survived by his wife Beth, sons Charlie (Danielle) and Sam (Mariah); granddaughter Zoey Diane, who he doted on, his brother David, sister Peggy along with many nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at Unity Church - Unitarian in St. Paul on April 18 @ 2. The service will be livestreamed at https://bit.ly/pdiamondmem

Pat generously donated his body to the University of Minnesota Anatomy Bequest Program.

Memorials may be sent to Camp Unistar. (Venmo: @CampUnistar-Foundation or Paypal: Camp UniStar Foundation @campunistar)

Or Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore at https://friendsoftheapostleislands.org/support-us