Abner Lee, 91, Minot, died Tuesday, January 7, 2020 in a Minot Hospital.

Abner was born November 22, 1928 in Mayville, ND to Andrew and Anna (Ramsfield) Lee. He spent his youth in Mayville, where he graduated from Mayville High School in 1946.

Abner was drafted into the US Army on June 26, 1951 and was accorded the Korean Service and United Nations Service Medals during his military tenure. While serving his country, Abner was united in marriage to Lorraine Sanda on February 19, 1952 near Hatton, ND. He was honorably discharged on June 5, 1953 and returned to ND where he assisted with the daily operation of his wife's family farmstead near Hatton.

Abner attended ND State University and graduated with a B.S. Degree in Agriculture in 1959. He started his employment with the USDA Soil Conservation Service in Jamestown and worked in various communities throughout ND until retiring from the Soil Conservation Service at Minot in 1987. Abner began his real estate career in 1987 with Signal Realty and later Broker's 12 of Minot and retired in 2007.

Abner held various memberships in the Minot community that included Zion Lutheran Church, Golden K Kiwanis, Toastmasters, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, NAARFE, Elks Lodge, and Eagles Aerie.

Abner enjoyed reading, golfing, hunting, fishing, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

Abner is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, Lorraine, Minot; children Sherry Wheeling, Minot and Mark Lee, Plymouth, MN; son-in-law Jerry Wheeling, Minot; grandchildren Tiffany Schmelz, Jennifer Anderson, Jill Cope, and Chad Wheeling; great-grandchildren Kaydra Weigel, Jayden Wheeling, Cole Anderson, and Claire Anderson; siblings Alice Strand, Mayville, ND, Clarice Kennedy, Grand Forks, ND, and Dorothy Grage, Mayville, ND; sister-in-law Evelyn Lee and brother-in-law Dave Boyer, along with numerous niece and nephews.

Abner was preceded in death by his parents, daughter Janelle Wheeling, an infant brother Kenneth Lee; brothers Harold Lee and Arthur Lee; sisters Olivia Nelson, Sophia Haakenson, Margaret Lande, Inez Boyer and Mildred Strand; brother-in-law Gaylord Sanda, Gene Sanda, Gerald Sanda, and sister-in-law Mary Jane Thingelstad.

Celebration of Life for Abner Lee :  Saturday, January 11, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. in Zion Lutheran Church, Minot.

Interment: North Dakota Veterans Cemetery at a later date.

Visitation will be held on Friday, January 10, 2020 from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at the Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot.

Abner Lee Flowers