Richard Allan Lee was born on April 2, 1951, in Ada, MN to Grant and Verona Lee of Perley, MN. Born the youngest of five children, he grew up on the family farm in rural Perley. He went to school in Borup, MN, where he was active in sports while also working on the farm. He graduated in 1969.
Richard joined the military and was trained as an Army mechanic in New Jersey. After leaving the Army, he returned home to MN and began driving overland truck with his older brother James “Jimmy” Lee. They team drove for many years, and then Richard continued on his own for a number of years. He eventually moved to Denver, CO, and took a job driving a dairy truck for King Soopers. This is how he met Karen Brooks in 1982. The only dating story to start by making the girl cry. They were married on July 30, 1983.
Their first son, Brandon Scott, was born in 1984, and Erik Robert Grant, to follow in 1986. Richard and his family would move between Minnesota and Colorado then would eventually settle in Watertown, SD. There Richard worked at Prairie Lakes Healthcare until his retirement in 2009.
In retirement he focused on his many hobbies including jewelry making, yard work, collecting model cars, and tinkering on whatever he could find. He loved spending time with his dogs, often spending hours with them in the backyard. He loved his family and friends, especially his siblings, nephews and nieces, and numerous cousins.
He is survived by his wife of over 40 years Karen, of Watertown, SD; sons, Brandon of Crookston, MN and Erik of Watertown, MN; sisters, Janice Torgerson of Hendrum, MN, and Joyce (Duane) Magsam of Crookston, MN; brothers & sisters-in-law, Roberta “Bobbie” Pawlowski, Gerald “Jerry” (Gina) Brooks all of Denver, CO, Lawrence “Larry” (Karen) Brooks of Algonquin, Il, and Sandra Parsley of Audubon, MN. He is also survived by many beloved nephews, nieces, and cousins.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Grant and Verona Lee; brother, James “Jimmy” Lee; sister, JoAnn Steer; brother-in-law, Daniel “Danny” Amiot, brother-in-law, William “Billie” Steer, brother-in-law, Leonard “Lenny” Pawlowski; sister-in-law Marilyn Lee; and brother-in-law, Darrell Torgerson, Sr.
Funeral Service: 11:00 AM, Saturday, October 26, 2024 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hendrum, MN.
Visitation: One hour before the service at the church.
Interment with full military rites: Concordia Lutheran Cemetery, rural Hendrum, MN.
Please view our guestbook and share condolences online at www.fredriksonfh.com
Arrangements with Fredrikson-Ganje Funeral Homes of Ada & Halstad, Minnesota
