Stanley Torfin Lea

Stanley Lea, formerly of Milan, died on Saturday, March 24, 2001 at the Guardian Angels Health Care Center in Elk River, MN at the age of 90.

Funeral services were conducted on Thursday, March 29, 2001 at 1:30 PM at Kviteseid Lutheran Church in Milan with Rev. Wayne Anderson officiating.  Burial was in the church cemetery.

Stanley Torfin Lea was born on December 22, 1910 in Kragero Township of Chippewa County, MN to Sven and Oletta (Holte) Lea. He was baptized and confirmed at Kviteseid Lutheran Church and attended Milan High School.  On September 15, 1938 he was united in marriage to Lillian Larson at Big Bend Lutheran Church. They lived in Milan for 60 years.  He has been residing at Guardian Angels Care center in Elk River, MN for the past three years. He owned and operated a service station in Milan for over 42 years before retiring in 1979.  His station was one of the meeting places for local farmers and businessmen and he enjoyed discussing the events of the day with the many friends he developed during his years of business.  He was a lifelong member of Kviteseid Lutheran Church.  He enjoyed gardening and had a special love for the birds he attracted to his yard (except for the starlings!!).  His heart went out to those in need and was always ready to help others.  He was a kind and strong man, filled with the strong belief in God, an unwavering commitment to his family and a love for the Milan community.  His family and friends will miss his smile, his teasing nature and his fun filled spirit.  Stanley was also proud of his Norwegian heritage.  His love of Norwegian delicacies will live on through his children.  If there is lutefisk in heaven we know what he is eating now.

He is survived by three sons: Wayne Lea, Allan Lea and his wife Jan; and Steven Lea and his wife Beth, all of the Minneapolis, MN area; one daughter, Darlene LaVeine and her husband Hal of WA; seven grandchildren: Andrew, Daniel and Kathy LaVeine of OR and Heidi Traeger, Holly, Melissa and Kyri Lea of the Minneapolis area; two great-grandchildren: Patrick Valentine of the Minneapolis area and Hannah LaVeine of OR;  as well as by  many nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Lillian in 1999;  six brothers: Gilbert, Sam, Orvil, Halvor, Alvin and Thorvald; and four sisters: Ida, Mabel, Agnes and Anna.