Jelaine Lee

JeLaine (Jill) Lee, 92 of Bayport, MN died on Saturday, November 7th, at Lakeview Hospital in Stillwater from complications of pneumonia. She was born in 1923, at the Helling farm near Hanska, MN to J.S. and Stella Helling. She was the third child after her brother Clayton Helling, and her sister Lorriane Helling Larson. She was followed by her brother John S. Helling Jr. She had a wonderful childhood with her family and the community. Her parents and siblings were a truly joyful part of her life. Jill attended school in Hanska, graduating from Hanska High School in 1940. She furthered her education at the University of Minnesota, St. Paul; and at the Minnesota College of Business. She was employed as an assistant to the Recorder of Deeds for Brown County, MN in New Ulm and as a bookkeeper and receptionist at the Madelia Clinic for Drs. Harold Coulter and William Hruza. She later did bookkeeping for her husband's business, Lee Implement, in Madelia. She was married to Burton Lee in February of 1955 at Kenyon Minnesota, by the Rev. V.F. Larson. They lived in Madelia, MN all their married life and she continued to reside there after his death in 1985. In 1998, she moved to Woodbury, MN to be closer to family. She moved to an independent apartment at Croixdale in Bayport, MN in September of 2014, and lived there until her death. Jill was well known for her love of family and her strong Christian faith. These were the framework on which her life was built. She had many, many friends, who along with her family knew her as a beautiful and courageous spirit. Preceding her in death were her husband Burton, her parents; her brother Clayton Helling; nephews Paul Larson and Mark Helling; and niece Jane Helling Cohn. She is survived by her children, a son, Charles Lee and wife Lynn of Amarillo, Texas; a daughter Cynthia Bleich and husband George of Bettendorf, IA; and a daughter Christine Levesque and husband Joe of Stillwater, MN. Her beloved grandchildren are Tony Lee and wife Stacy of Maroa, IL; Tanya Lee-Shadle and husband Jason of Cleveland, OH; Eric Bleich of Bettendorf, IA; David Bleich and wife Rachel Miller Bleich of Arlington, VA; and Jacob Levesque, a Junior at Wartburg College in Waverly, IA. She was proud of her two great-grandsons, Aiden and Evan Lee of Maroa, IL. Also surviving are her siblings Lorraine Larson of Rochester, MN and John Helling Jr. of New Richmond, Wi along with many nieces and nephews and an abundance of friends. Visitation for Jill will be on Tuesday, November 10 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at BRADSHAW, 2800 Curve Crest Blvd, Stillwater. A funeral service will be at TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH, 115 N 4th St, Stillwater on Wednesday, November 11 at 11:00 a.m. with visitation one hour before the service. A burial service will be held at TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH in Madelia, MN on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 2:00 p.m. with visitation one hour before the service. She will be buried next to her husband Burton at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Madelia, Minnesota. Memorials may be made to Trinity Lutheran in Madelia. The family wishes to thank the wonderful staff at Croixdale for the enjoyable months she spent there and the doctors and nurses at Lakeview Hospital for their tender care in her last days. Jill will be remembered as a person of courage, strength, and an abiding faith in her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.