Lee Charles Newman, 71, of Mabel died Thursday, November 19, 2020 at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, Wisconsin after a short battle with Leukemia. There will be a memorial service at a later date to celebrate his life.
Lee Charles Newman was born June 2, 1949 to Leo & Helen (Marthaler) Newman in Kellog, Minnesota. He attended Indian Creek Community School and Graduated from Wabasha High School in 1967. He worked at Kelly Produce from the age of 10 and all through high school. He often delivered vegetables, muskmelon and watermelon to stores in Rochester and the Twin Cities. After high school he worked at the Piggly Wiggly in the bakery, cementing his life-long affection for donuts. He then joined the production crew at Winona Industries, rising to line foreman by 1970. In 1972 he moved with his family to Idaho to join his brother, David, in the siding business. After four years out west he moved back, with his family, to Minnesota to continue working as a siding contractor. He was well known for his attention to detail and quality craftmanship. Over the years he worked as a self-employed contractor in the Winona Area, with Kuisle Siding in Stewartville and Rochester and continued as a sub-contractor on various jobs throughout Southeast Minnesota until 2019. He has spent much of the past few years as a driver and equipment operator for Gingrich Construction in Lanesboro, Minnesota.
Lee met and married the love of his life, Kathryn Rollie, in 1967. The couple was married in Wabasha, Minnesota and lived in Winona until their move to Idaho. In Kuna Idaho not only did Lee hone his skills in siding application he continued his love of growing fruit and learned the things he would later apply to the many fruit trees and plants that he cultivated over the years. After moving back from Idaho, the growing family lived in the Altura area until settling at the old Tor Velde place north of Mabel, Minnesota in 1981. After a house fire destroyed their home during the Steam Engine Days of 1986 he built Kathy her dream home, which he continued improving on throughout the years. Lee enjoyed his vegetable and fruit gardens as well as doing fine carpentry and built many beautiful pieces over the years. His favorite was a scale model of a round barn he made for his grandchildren. He was always up for building things large or small and they were built heavy no matter the size.
Lee is survived by his wife Kathy Newman; his 6 children: Charles (Karyn) Newman, Dallas, GA; William Newman, Mabel, MN; Mari (Kyle) Holthaus, Waukon, IA; Timothy Newman, Mabel, MN; Honey (Steve) Chappell, Suwanee, GA; Anna (Tim) Herzmann, Monona, IA, 10 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild. His siblings David Newman, Minneapolis, MN; Barbara Newman, Kellog, MN; Margaret (Luke) Lukanen, Longsdale, MN; Kathleen Larson, Winona, MN; Richard Newman, Red Wing, MN; James (June) Newman, Kellog, MN; Robert (Tracey) Newman, Wills Point, Texas. And his sister and brother in law Karen (Rollie) and Robert Peterson, Plainview, MN. Along with a great number of Nieces and Nephews and good friends.
He is preceded in death by his Parents Leo and Helen Newman, a brother John Newman, a sister Karen Newman, an infant nephew Shayne Peterson, his Mother and Father in law, Alfred and Ida Rollie and two brothers in law, John and Fred Rollie.
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