Sigurd "Sig" Lee

We rejoice that Sigurd, Christ’s faithful servant, rests now in his eternal home in Heaven.

Funeral Service will be held Thursday, December 16, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church.  Visitation will be from 9:30-11:00 a.m. prior to the service at the church.  Graveside Service will be held Saturday, December 18 at 2:00 p.m. at Deerfield Lutheran Cemetery in Deerfield, WI.  The funeral service will be livestreamed at www.mtolivelutheran.org.  Mankato Mortuary assisted the family with arrangements.

*** PLEASE NOTE: OVERFLOW PARKING IS AVAILABLE AT CHRIST THE KING LUTHERAN CHURCH ***

Sigurd Karl Theodore Lee was born on October 4, 1926 at the Madison General Hospital in Madison, WI. He grew up on a farm just off Highway 12/18 near the Liberty Corner Tavern south of Deerfield in Dane County. He was baptized by Rev. Lauritz Gutebo at Western Koshkonong Lutheran Church and confirmed by Rev. George Gullixson twelve years later. He spent his youth working on a dairy farm with his father and brothers, going to school, and playing sports.

He graduated high school in June 1945 and immediately left to serve in WWII in the Merchant Marine from 1945-1947 running oil from the Persian Gulf to Italy.

He entered Bethany Lutheran College in 1947 and graduated in 1949. He went on to the University of Wisconsin at Madison and graduated with a B.A. in English in 1951 and later completed a master’s degree in theater in 1965. He then served two years in the Marine Corps in the Korean War 1952-1954.

He taught public and parochial schools in southern California 1954-1960 when he was called to teach and begin a drama program at Bethany Lutheran High School and College.

In 1968 Sigurd and Donna Ann Korper of Chicago, IL were married at Western Koshkonong Lutheran Church. They were blessed with two children: Caroline Marie and Erik Sigurd. They later divorced.

Sigurd Karl worked tirelessly for forty years 1960-2000 at Bethany Lutheran College teaching English and humanities courses as well as directing plays which offered two major productions each school year usually a drama in the fall and a comedy in the spring as well as a mid-winter performance called Readers’ Theatre.

He spent his retirement in his home reading many books and receiving guests. He was a member of numerous coffee groups, book clubs, and Bible studies and the leader of a depression-support group called Encourage One Another at his church for many years beginning in the year 2000.

Sigurd was preceded in death by his parents Peter and Agnes and his older brothers Olaf and Gerhard and sisters Elizabeth and Eunice and younger brother Roald and his nephew Jeff Anderson.  He is survived by a daughter, Caroline Marie Lee, of Mankato, MN, a son, Erik Sigurd Lee, of Vitoria, Brazil, his wife Tessy Neves Dias and three granddaughters, Agnes, Melina, and Hanessa, as well as thirteen nieces and nephews.

Sigurd entered God’s Kingdom on Thursday, December 9, 2021.

Blessed be his memory.