Lee Wallin

Lee Wilbur Wallin was born in Comfrey on February 27, 1950. Lee was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith at Faith Lutheran Church, Comfrey. Lee was a lifelong member of Faith Lutheran, Comfrey, and New Hope Lutheran, which evolved after the tornado of 1998. Lee attended school at Comfrey Public. During the summers of his youth he worked with his father, learning the cement and building trades. He attended 2 years at Alexandria Technical College, Alexandria, MN from 1969-1970 for a Machinist Degree. He worked at Anderson Machine Company in Chaska, MN from June to August 1970. On September 22, 1970 Scib and Lee took possession of the Independent Lumber Co. from Ted Nelson and Arnold Odegaard. Thus Wallin Builder Supply was born. In May 1971 Scib passed away leaving Lee and his mother, Harriet, in a partnership of Wallin Builder Supply for 28 years. The tornado of March 1998 did extensive damage to the buildings and supplies of the lumberyard. Lee and Harriet decided to leave the business and it was sold to Clements Lumber. Lee worked at Clements Lumber, Comfrey, until he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in July 2013. While at Alexandria Technical College, Alexandria, MN Lee met his best friend and wife of 43 years, Linda. Lee and Linda were married at Graham United Methodist Church, rural Rice, MN on June 5, 1971. Lee and Linda have one child, Jonathan, who was adopted on December 1, 1982 at 8 weeks of age. In Lee's high school days he was active in Boy Scouts. He went on to get his Eagle Scout. The ceremony was conducted September 27, 1969, at the Memorial Hall, Comfrey, by Pastor Hilton Hammer. After marriage Lee continued to be active with the Boy Scouts and even took them on an overnight canoe trip on the Minnesota River. Lee was a member of the Comfrey Jaycees for several years. He had a hand in many of the local projects conducted by the Jaycees, one of which was the North Park ballfield. Lee was a member of the Comfrey Fire Department for 35 years, from July 1971 to July 2006. He also was a member of the Comfrey Rescue Squad from its' inception till the present. He retired from the City of Comfrey as part time maintenance after 23 years of service in December 2013. Lee served his church as a past member of the board. Lee was on the building committee for New Hope Lutheran after the tornado of 1998. He served on the Faith Cemetery board for many years resigning in 2013 due to his health. Lee was an avid hunter. In his early years he was known to bow hunt for deer, shoot ducks and geese, chase raccoons, and hunt gophers. Lee's later years were spent hunting pheasants in South Dakota or Minnesota. He especially enjoyed Minnesota hunting with friends and his son, Jonathan. Lee and Jonathan always had good hunting dogs and so it made the hunt easier. Fishing was a part of Lee's life for a few years before the tornado of 1998. Many evenings and weekends were spent with his family camping and fishing central and southern Minnesota. It wasn't unusual for Lee, Linda and Jonathan to spend a whole day out on a lake. In 1977 Lee and Linda bought their first motorcycle taking a trip to visit relatives in Missouri. They became hooked on cycling and as a family traveled to many states and Canada with friends-always camping and enjoying the outdoors. Lee and Linda's last trip was this past June to the Smoky Mountains and surrounding area. Feeling the effects of the cancer Lee decided to turn his bike into a trike so that it would be easier for him to ride. Lee and Linda did enjoy a weekend Rally in Iowa in September with the trike and trailer. Lee also had a few occasions to go on short rides with the trike before his death. Being a man of few words, Lee will always be remembered by his humor and short wit. He will be remembered as someone who knew the lumber and construction trade-using his skills in his home and community. Lee is survived by his wife, Linda and son, Jonathan; sister, Joyce (Wayne) Flury of Buffalo, MN; brother-in-law, Bruce (Linda) Olson of rural Rice, MN; sister-in-law, Bonnie Olson of Tucson, AZ; two nephews, Tim (Susan) Olson of rural Rice, MN, and Brian (Greta) Olson of rural Rice, MN; four nieces, Brenda (John) Haire, Mt. Pleasant, SC, Paula (Justin) Walker of Fairfield, CA, Melissa (Troy) Schreindl of rural Rice, MN and Michelle (Brad) Neutz of Maple Lake, MN and many cousins. Lee was preceded in death by his father, Wilbur (Scib) Wallin; his mother, Harriet Wallin Swanson and his step father, Clifford Swanson. First Visitation 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm Friday, October 31, 2014 New Hope Lutheran Church, Comfrey 204 Court St. S. Comfrey, Minnesota, United States 56019 Second Visitation 9:30 am - 10:30 am Saturday, November 1, 2014 New Hope Lutheran Church, Comfrey 204 Court St. S. Comfrey, Minnesota, United States 56019 Service Information 10:30 am Saturday, November 1, 2014 New Hope Lutheran Church, Comfrey 204 Court St. S. Comfrey, Minnesota, United States 56019 Interment Information New Hope Faith Lutheran Cemetery 29053 County Road 1 Comfrey, Minnesota, United States 56019