Norman "Norm" Andrew Lee of Custer, SD, lived his life building relationships and serving others and died while working in his shop on February 3, 2017, with his wife, Sylvia, by his side.

Norm followed his twin sister, Norma into this world, on January 27, 1933, on a farm West of Ramona, SD. Norm was the youngest of 7 living children of Ephraim Justin Lee and Olive Dorothy "Gwen" Bridger Lee. The family then moved to De Smet, SD. Gwen died in childbirth in 1937.

Ephraim married Dorothy Smith in 1943 and completed the family with two sons, Jim and Roger.

Norm graduated from De Smet High School in 1950, and joined the US Navy at the tail end of the Korean War. Norm served his country as a Machinist's Mate on the USS Cunningham. In this role, he learned refrigeration and improved his welding skills that he had learned growing up on the farm.

After leaving the Navy, Norm worked building homes in Kansas with his brother-in-law, Orville "Buster" Olson. Norm returned to De Smet where he met Sylvia Janssen. They were united in marriage March 6, 1959, and they began their lives in De Smet. They welcomed their first child, Timothy Lynn in 1961; he passed shortly thereafter. Norm farmed and supplemented the family income with money he made from working as a carpenter, welder and refrigeration technician. They raised two sons, Kyle and Chad. Norm was a wonderful carpenter and built several homes for his family and friends and with his brother, Gilbert, he helped build Briggs Library at South Dakota State University.

Norm could always be counted on to help fix things when they stopped working and for friends and family he would always be happy to take his tip in the form of a good cup of coffee and a great conversation or a game of cards.

Norm once again answered the call to serve his community after the boys left for college. He ran for and was elected to Kingsbury County Sheriff in 1986. He served his community for the next 8 years. He fondly recounted stories later in life where he was able to help families in their times of need.

After retiring, Norm and Sylvia moved to the Black Hills and built a new home at Terry Peak near Lead, SD. They lived there for the next 7 years and Norm helped build several cabins while there. In 2001, Norm and Sylvia finished building their home in Custer, SD and he spent the next 15 years visiting family and friends and fixing things in his shop.

Norm is missed deeply by his wife, Sylvia; sons, Kyle and wife, Sally (De Smet) and Chad and wife, Marcy (Mission Viejo, California); three sisters, Evelyn Paulson (Apple Valley, MN), Betty Olson (Madison, SD) and Norma "Sis" Shawber (Aiken, SC), brother, Roger and wife, Mary (De Smet); 5 grandchildren Benjamin "Jay" Cronin (Fort Walton Beach, FL), Christian and wife Skelly Cronin (Biloxi, MS), Bryce Lee (Denver, CO), Tate and Noelle Lee (Mission Viejo, CA); Godson, Allan Larson (De Smet); 3 great grandchildren and lots of nieces and nephews and friends that he adored. Happy to play cards and share stories with Norm again are his mother, Olive; father, Ephraim; step-mother, Dorothy; son, Timothy Lynn; brothers, Gilbert and Jim; and sisters, Joyce Larson, Muriel and Pearl.

Memorial services will be held 10:30 a.m., Thursday, February 9, 2017, at the Custer Lutheran Fellowship in Custer, SD, with Military Honors to follow at the Church. A celebration of life will be held in De Smet in late spring or early summer. Those details will be provided at a later date.