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Harris G. Lee, of Osceola, Wis., passed away July 25, 2006, at Good Samaritan Nursing Home, where he had been a resident for a short period of time.

He is survived by his wife, Aldora; sons: Alan (Marianna) Lee of Buffalo, Minn.; sons: Alan (Marianna) Lee, of Buffalo, Minn.; Bryan (Veigh) Lee, of Canton, NY; David Lee, of Waukegan, Ill.; Duane (Debby) Lee, of Lindstrom, Minn.; daughters: Dawn (Dennis) Lentz, of Baraboo, Wis.; Ann (Glenn) Fernstrom, of New Richmond, Wis.; 13 grandchildren: Timothy, Jason, Rose, Johanna, Rosemary, Ryan, Erik, Daniel, Steven, Matthew, Aaron, Stephanie and Christopher; and one-great-grandson, Max.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Adeline, and a granddaughter, Rachel.

Harris was born in Faribault, Minn., May 4, 1920, to Henry E. and Gunelie Okkelberg Lee. He spent his boyhood in Kenyon, Minn., graduating from high school there. He loved the outdoors and sports, lettering in baseball, basketball and football in high school. His greatest love, however, was playing hockey on the outdoor rink in Kenyon.

He attended Gustavus Adolphus College and the University of Denver until he enlisted in the U.S. Army on May 1, 1942, at Fort Snelling. He trained in armored (tank) warfare at Ft. Lewis, Wash., in the newly established Army Tank Corps and was assigned as supply sergeant in Company D, of the 737th Tank Battalion. The 737th was attached to the 35th and 5th Infantry Divisions of General Patton’s 3rd Army in the European Theater of Operations. He was especially proud to have been a part of “Patton’s Spearheaders,” a special designation given to the 737th by permission of the War Department.

On June 8, 1946, Harris and Aldora were married at Gol Lutheran Church, in Kenyon, and began their life together in Duluth, Minn., where he worked for Globe Elevators. After about seven years, they moved their young family to southern Minnesota where he worked as bookkeeper for several farmer’s cooperative grain elevators.

In 1955 they moved to Rake, Iowa, where they lived 27 years and where he worked at the local Farmers’ Coop Elevator and later started an income tax and bookkeeping service for many farmers and businesses in the Rake and Buffalo Center areas. During this time, Harris rekindled his love for the sport of ice hockey and was instrumental in building an outdoor skating rink in town and assembling a hockey team consisting of his four sons and their friends. Harris spent many hours playing with and coaching these youngsters. As a result, there were many memories of traveling to hockey games, going up to see the Gophers play, state high school hockey tournaments, long rides home past midnight in snowstorms, etc. In 1962, he received a citation from the Amateur Hockey Association of the United States for his contributions to the advancement of amateur hockey.

Harris and Aldora loved to travel and took their children on vacations every summer to places all over the United States. Many great memories were made on these camping trips with cousins, aunts, uncles and friends. Later in life, they traveled to Norway to visit relatives from both sides of the family. They also traveled to Europe where they visited friends and battlefields from WWII.

In 1982, Harris and Aldora retired to their beloved hobby farm of 10 acres in Osceola, Wis., where they lived 16 years. Both of them enjoyed visits from children, grandchildren, relatives and friends. They also enjoyed raising animals and having a big vegetable garden.

Harris was a generous man, providing for his family and especially ensuring that each of his children received a college education. He had a love for God, our Creator, and an unwavering allegiance to biblical truths. His greatest desire was that his children and grandchildren would come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour, as he had.

Funeral service was Monday, July 31, 2006, at Grandstrand Funeral Home, Osceola, Wis. Pastor Marion Mielke led the funeral service with Pastor George Cable providing the message. Burial was at the Oak Grove Cemetery, in East Farmington.

Memorial gifts may be given to the Midwest Indian Mission, Crandon, Wis., or to David and Kristie Slink, missionaries to Chile.

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