Grygla - Harland Lee Sr., 97, died Wednesday, July 15, 1998 at Oakland Park Nursing Home in Thief River Falls.
Funeral services were held on Saturday, July 18 at 10:30 a.m. at Grace Lutheran Church in Grygla with Reverend Roberta Johnson officiating. Joy Nordby was the organist. Soloists were Kristi Stockland and Marie Anderson. Casketbearers were Harland's sons, Harland Lee Jr., Kenneth Lee, George Lee, Vernon Lee, Leland Lee, Gerald Lee and Ralph Lee. Burial was in Northwoods Cemetery in Beltrami county. The Green Funeral Home of Thief River Falls was in charge of the arrangements.
Harland Perry Lee was born on April 2, 1901 in Amery, WI, the son of Frank and Carrie (Shock) Lee. He was baptized in the Christian faith. The family lived in Seattle, WA and Butte, Eureka and Kalispell, MT. In 1913 the family homesteaded in Northwood township of Beltrami county.
Harland was united in marriage to Anna Hanson on December 7, 1926 at Ft. Francis, Manitoba, Canada. They lived at Hibbing and International Falls before settling in Northwood township near his parents' home.
In addition to farming Harland worked at a lumber mill, in mining, at a paper mill, on the railroad and as a cowboy and trapper. He later worked for Beltrami county, using horses to build roads. That job became a state job from which he retired in 1966. Harland lived on the farm until 1995 when he moved to Valley Home in Thief River Falls.
His interests included woodworking, hunting, fishing, gardening, snowmobiling, telling stories and playing cards and cribbage with his friends. As a hunter, he once shot a 23-point buck. He also played the violin and button accordion.
Harland is survived by seven sons, Harland Jr. (Myrtle) of Thief River Falls, George (Lavonne) of Hutchinson, Vernon (Arlene) of Cloquet, Gerald (Betty) of Minneapolis, Leland (Carol) of St. Cloud and Kenneth and Ralph, both of Grygla; four daughters, Delilah Anderson of Kalona, IA, Jeanne (Russell) Brenna of Moose Lake, Cerise Swanson of Perham and Judith (Duane) Kotrba of Thief River Falls; 41 grandchildren; 50 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; two sisters-in-law; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Anna on March 23, 1993; one son, Earl; two grandsons, Ernest Anderson and Lynn Lee; his parents; one sister, Cerise Knutson; two brothers, John "Snooky" and Frank; and two sons-in-law, Theodore Anderson and Donald Swanson.