James Sheffield Lee, aged 86, of Waite Park, MN (formerly of Clearwater, MN) was surrounded by his family when he went to his eternal home in heaven on September 23, 2025. Visitation and funeral services will be held on Saturday, October 4 at Calvary Community Church with a visitation at 9 a.m. and services officiated by Pastor Doug Fern at 11 a.m. and internment to follow at Acacia Cemetery in Clearwater.

Lee was born on August 15, 1939, just 20 minutes after his twin brother John, in St. Cloud, MN to John and Edith Lee. He grew up on the family homestead in Clearwater and farmed alongside his father and many uncles in the Clearwater area. He attended country school at District 18, a one room schoolhouse in Clearwater Township, up through the eighth grade and then finished his high school at Annandale High School. In school he played the clarinet in the band, participated in the production of Annie Get Your Gun, and was an active member of both 4H and the FFA. After graduating from high school, he continued farming on the homestead for several years along with working at Camp Koinonia on Lake Sylvia.  In 1969 he continued his education and his interest in agriculture by attending Canby Technical Institute and graduating with a degree in Soil Science.

He then spent many years working in and managing grain elevators in Hastings and Centra Sota in Annandale. He later found a new career when he began work as an Abstractor with Tri County Abstract and Title. He loved digging into the records at the courthouse to ensure the property abstract was clear.  After he retired from there in 2004 he worked part time for Clearwater Township where he kept up the building and maintained the lawn and landscaping.

In the summer of 1969, he met Sharon Tobin and the two were joined in marriage August 29, 1970, at Riverview Baptist in West St Paul MN.  Jim and Sharon started their family with the birth of their son James in May 1971 and then Rebecca in 1974. They moved back to the family farm in 1977 where they raised sheep, sweet corn, and kept a large garden with two of his favorites to grow – potatoes and squash (winter squash, not zucchini). He spent many hours over the years attending his kids (and later grandkids) concerts, games, marching alongside the band in the summer, and countless other school events all while keeping up the farm. To the end, he was a dedicated Annandale Cardinals fan and loved to watch football and basketball games and see how the players developed over the years.

He loved to work in his gardens and in his retirement built out and took great pride in beautiful flower gardens on the farmstead. In those years he also had his father’s original 1942 John Deere B restored and loved to crank that flywheel and hear that unique John Deere sound as he puttered around the farm. He enjoyed reading, studying family history, watching Lawrence Welk, and listening to his favorites like Whoopie John and Sousa marches.

He was a member of Calvary Community Church for 43 years where he served as a trustee, usher, and served in the nursery.

A special thanks from his family to the nurses, volunteers, and staff at Quiet Oaks Hospice and CentraCare Hospice for helping Jim and the family in his final days. Your kindness and compassion are amazing.

He is survived by his loving wife Sharon, son James Lee of St Cloud, daughter Rebecca (Brenton) Bills of Rockford, grandchildren Johnathan Lee, Katherine Bills, and David Bills, brother John (Marilyn) Lee of St Cloud, cousin Pete (Pat) Hansen of Mankato, brother in law Robert (Mary) Tobin of Stone Mountain, GA, sister in law Audrey Mathews of Draper, SD, and many  nieces, nephews and other loved ones.

He was preceded in death by his parents, infant son Brian, sister Karen Mol, brother-in-law Cliff Mol, sister-in-law Jeanette Hildebrandt, brother-in-law Philip Mathews, nephew Steven Lee, cousins, and many aunts and uncles including his special aunt Dr Katherine Elizabeth Lee.

In lieu of flowers the family invites you to honor Jim with a contribution to Calvary Community Church, Quiet Oaks Hospice, or the Cardinal Athletic Foundation.