PAUL R. LEE

PAUL R. LEE

January 6, 1947-October 16, 2025

Paul R. Lee, age 78, of Fairfax, MN passed away Thursday, October 16, 2025, at Oak Terrace Senior Living in North Mankato, MN.

 Memorial Service will be held Saturday, September 19, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Fairfax, Minnesota, with interment in Fort Ridgely and Dale Cemetery, Camp Township, Renville County, Minnesota. Gathering of Friends and Family will be one hour prior to the service (10:00 a.m.), all at the church. Lunch will be served after the burial at Our Saviors Lutheran Church.

Paul Robert Lee was born on January 6, 1947. He passed away peacefully on October 16, 2025, at the age of 78.  He had been residing at Oak Terrace Senior Living in North Mankato since March 2023 until the time of his passing.       

Paul grew up in Fairfax and was the oldest of six brothers. He was a very accomplished athlete and furious competitor. In high school he excelled in football and wrestling and was a team captain in both sports.

 Upon graduation Paul attended Luther College to pursue seminary. He left there after a year and went into the army and served during the Vietnam war. There he would be stationed in Korea and developed his passion for photography while being a photographer for the Stars and Stripes US Military newspaper. Many of the photos he captured during his time there, were favorites to show staff and guests up until his passing.

After the Army, Paul married his high school sweetheart Patty (Wier). A few years later they welcomed their son David.

Paul lived in Minneapolis until 2003 when he moved to Florida. During his time in Minneapolis, he became one of the best and brightest photographers in the region. He renovated an old warehouse and that became his studio in downtown Minneapolis. There he would do many photo shoots and purchased one of two “Dinosaur” lights in the country at that time. He would do the Sunday circulars for Donaldsons for several years. Many family members were often surprised to find their picture inside a TV in the Sunday circulars. He also did all the photography for Cargill at one time.

Paul was a very passionate person.  Whether it was his photography or athletics, he was all in all the time.  He would do marathons and then triathlons. He would often either run, bike or cross-country ski from Minneapolis to Fairfax or to his parents’ family cabin in Atwater.

 His main passion besides photography during the last 30 plus years was cycling.  Paul was an original founding member of the Twin Cities Bicycle Club in Minneapolis.

He invented "The Double Cross" which required dipping your bike wheel in the St. Croix River on the eastern border of Minnesota, riding 214 miles across the state to dip your wheel in the Red River on the western border of MN, spending the night, and riding back 214 miles to dip your wheel again in the St. Croix River.  Club members were passionate elite long-distance bicyclists.

Friday, after Double Cross, Paul and club members bicycled 154 miles from the Cities to Duluth, watched a professional bike race on Saturday, and rode back on Sunday.

 Preparing for Double Cross and Duluth ride, Paul rode multiple days per week, 100-mile rides on weekends, and the 202-mile ride around Lake Mille Lacs.  One summer in Minnesota he rode his bicycle 8104 miles on 186 club rides.  This mileage doesn’t include him riding on his own outside of club rides.  For the 1990’s Paul led everyone in the club with 38,000 miles on club rides.

He invented the "Getting High on the Track" program teaching cyclists to ride the Velodrome in Blaine, MN.  He won a gold medal in an event at the World Championships in Blaine.

 Paul and his partner of 26 years Sharon, met bicycling with the Twin Cities Bicycle Club.  They moved to Tampa and, after she began working for the National Park Service, they moved to Shenandoah NP in Virginia, Castillo de San Marco in Florida, Pu'uhonua o Honaunau in Hawaii, North Rim of the Grand Canyon, and Canaveral National Seashore in Florida.  Paul loved the adventures of the National Parks and would become obsessed with the turtles on the Big Island of Hawaii as well as getting as close as possible to the molten rock of the volcanos.  The Grand Canyon was another adventure in which he solo hiked the Rim-to-Rim 23-mile trail down and across the Grand Canyon.

 Paul will be remembered for always wanting to have fun and capturing memories through the lens of his camera.

Paul is survived by his son, David (Anne) Lee of Chaska, MN and his two grandsons, Ashton and Avery; his five brothers Steve (Betty) Lee of Fairfax, MN, Gary (Marcia) Lee of Fairfax MN, Daniel Whitehead of Yucaipa, CA, Gordy (Angela) Lee of Fairfax, MN, and Jon (Angela) Lee of Missoula, MT.  He is also survived by his partner Sharon O’Connor.  Paul is survived by many nieces and nephews.

Paul’s brothers will serve as pallbearers.

Flowers will be accepted, or memorial contributions may be made in Paul’s name to the Twin Cities Bicycling Club by visiting www.biketcbc.org

Arrangements by Hauser-Hantge Funeral Chapel in Fairfax, Minnesota. Online obituaries and guest book available at www.hantge.com Please click on obituaries and guest book.