Brent S. Lee

Brent S. Lee, 68, of Linwood passed away on Sunday, November 24, 2019 after a courageous battle with ALS, which he fought with much dignity and grace.

            He was a true patriot of his country, serving in the U.S. Navy as an airplane captain VA196, working aboard aircraft carrier flight decks during the Vietnam conflict (1970-1974).  Brent won awards and recognition for his work.

            Brent enjoyed his 35 years working for the Department of Natural Resources at the Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area, retiring in 2010.  He was a heavy equipment operator, building and maintaining roads and dams as well as the equipment mechanic.  He had an impressive ability to fix anything.  Brent was proud to serve as head of the Safety Committee and taught even the best of minds.  Every year he planted corn plots for the deer and was involved with doing deer counts every Spring by air and land.  He designed and built all the new easy-open gates at the refuge and elsewhere in the state.  Brent even raised bugs to distribute among the Purple Loosestrife plants, so the bugs would eat the plants, therefore halting the spread.  He loved the excitement of prescribed burns at the refuge and elsewhere in the state.  His duties were broader than mentioned and he loved the variety.  Brent had a great sense of humor and was well known to play many harmless pranks on his co-workers.

            Brent enjoyed designing and building his home along with his wife Trudy.  They had an exceptional marriage, always inseparable, enjoying the same interests and hobbies.  They were fortunate to embrace 22 years together with their son Jake, who passed away in 2010.

            Brent was a lover of history, restoring his 1939 Ford pickup, antique and vintage motorcycles and snowmobiles. He had so many interests including organic gardening, woodworking, ironwork, and stained glass to name a few.  Brent was an accomplished artist and it shows in his home.  He loved going to the cabin and catching the big fish.  Brent served time as Chairman of the Linwood Township Board and Linwood’s Road and Bridge Supervisor.  He enjoyed touring the Martin Lake area where he lived, in his power chair last summer, especially the nice smooth roads he was in charge of building. 

            Brent will be remembered as a man of honor, a loving compassionate person with a beautiful soul.  He was energetic with a positive attitude and an outgoing personality.  He was very quick witted, always had priceless life stories and an encyclopedic knowledge of just about everything.

            Brent was preceded in death by his grandparents Iver & Marie Soderquist, parents Elmer and Verna (Soderquist) Lee, son Jacob Lee, brother Bruce Lee, brother-in-law Wayne Johnson, and father-in-law Oliver Johnson.        Survived by his loving wife Trudy, mother-in-law Carolyn Johnson, niece Randi Long, his wonderful Lee relatives in Minnesota, Texas, South Dakota, and the entire Soderquist, Johnson and Larson families as well as many friends that meant so much to Brent.

            We love you Brent…a life well lived.

            What others leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments but what is woven into the lives of others.

A Memorial Service will be held at 11AM, Saturday, December 14, 2019 at Oak Haven Church, 1555 Constance Blvd. NE, Ham Lake, MN.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Brent S. Lee, please visit our floral store.