Lee Cleveland, 63, of Colorado Springs, CO, went to Heaven on 24 September 2024 after a neurological disease and lengthy Mayo Hospital stay.
Lee was born on 26 January 1961 to Dale & Gloria Cleveland in Fargo, ND. Little sister, Deb (Cleveland Fickler) arrived in 1964. After graduation from Madison High School (SD) in 1979 he went on to earn a BS in electrical engineering from South Dakota State University in 1983.
In 1984 he met Susan (Lehms) at IBM in Rochester, MN and they immediately knew they’d spend the rest of their precious days together. They married in 1985 and were blessed with Darin in 1990 and Erica in 1992. Lee was deeply devoted to his family.
Lee enjoyed working with exceptional people at IBM and Western Digital in Rochester, MN; and at LSI/Broadcom in Colorado Springs, CO.
While growing up, Lee excelled at many sports including football, basketball, baseball, and bowling. He was committed to his teammates and to the games. His mom, dad, and sister, spent much time at the lake with extended family and on camping trips exploring the US.
During college, Lee washed cars at a local dealership and worked extensively on vehicles. If it was a GM product, he was interested, and he was skilled at repairing his treasures to turn a profit. The car/truck/SUV passion continued and although the price tags went up, a soft spot for unloved vehicles remained. An enormously happy moment in his life occurred in 2012 when the second of two raffle ticket purchases yielded a winner! Lee & Susan took ownership of a 2012 Z06 Corvette from the National Corvette Museum.
Lee was always in favor of family adventures. The four spent much time at Disney World, and in the Hawaiian Islands. Lee & Susan went on to tour Switzerland, Australia, Japan and Norway. One of their biggest feats included tubing and ziplining in a New Zealand cave. They regularly sought out car shows, art fairs, sporting events, concerts and Lee’s favorite, the Great Minnesota Get Together (state fair).
All friends and family members relied on Lee for advice with car shopping, car repair, and home renovation. He recently removed a 400lb bathtub from Erica’s second level. This involved a strap through an upstairs window connected to his truck’s trailer hitch. He managed seemingly impossible feats with ingenuity and style.
Lee’s coworkers respected him and appreciated his big laugh. He always worked hard to make valuable contributions and to be certain everyone was treated fairly.
It’s hard to imagine life without his larger than life persona woven throughout.
In lieu of flowers, consider making a contribution to the National Corvette Museum, Minnesota State Fair, or Seasons Hospice House in Rochester, MN. Please remember everyone who loved Lee in your prayers. God bless you.
Celebrate Lee at Bearwood Event Barn in Byron, MN on Saturday, 2 November 2024. Lee’s celebration of life will begin at 2:15pm. Linger to visit with friends and family until 5pm. Dress is casual and wearing Lee’s favorite color, orange, is encouraged. There will be opportunity to share a memory or story.
