Stillwater High School Alumni
Stillwater, Minnesota (MN)
In Memory of
Kenneth Lee
1947-2026
Born Apr 12, 1947, Kenneth Lee attended Stillwater High School in Stillwater, MN.
Class of 1966
Apr 12, 1947 - Sep 06, 2026
Apr 12, 1947 - Sep 06, 2026
Ken Lee, age 79, of Northfield, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, September 6, 2026, at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.
Kenneth [no middle name] Lee was born in Stillwater, Minnesota, to Lenore Steinbeiser and Harold Lee, on April 12, 1947, the surviving member of a set of boy twins. Early on, he also survived a bout of polio when his dad drove him daily for treatment to what was then (interestingly enough) called the Sister Kenny Institute, which is now a part of the larger facility (Abbott-Northwestern Hospital) where Kenny drew his last breath.
During his recent, comparatively short stay in the I.C.U., Ken was well-cared for at Allina/Abbott Northwestern Hospital that was brand new and open for less than one week. Care was provided by competent and compassionate nurses, among them, Michael from St. Michael’s, Anthony from Trinidad and Tobago, and Fillestri and Dennis from Kenya.
After graduating from high school, he embarked on a career in Cosmetology and was driven to daily classes by his aunt, Adele Steinbeiser (who, by the way, lived to the age of 103!). Eventually Ken graduated and was able to set out on his own, being employed by Albert Mintz at Brian’s of St. Clair, located at the corner of St. Clair and Hamline in St. Paul. Albert and Ken were friends – Ken was almost a member of the family – and they shared an interest in and love of music. During his life, Ken sang in a number of church choirs in St. Paul and, later, in Northfield, sang in the St. John’s Choir and The Troubadours, the senior men’s chorus associated with the Northfield Senior Center (FiiftyNorth) where Ken also appeared in several plays.
He left for the FiftyNorth every day promptly at 5:35 a.m., timed to hopefully beat the early train at the 2nd Street crossing! He loved the hot tub (when it was working properly) and exercised with the water aerobics classes. Later he led this class and frequently participated in the Center’s activities as well as serving on the Board.
Ken was active in the Cosmetology Association in Edina, serving on their Board and also traveling to a number of locations in Minnesota to serve as an instructor. A highlight of Ken’s life was when he received the Vera Slater Award, a kind of Academy Award for service in this field.
During his life he studied voice with Agnes Lisowsky in St. Paul, whose husband, Peter Lisowsky, played violin in what was then called the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra and later Peter directed an orchestra that was organized at the Jewish Community Center in St. Paul. It was at Agnes Lisowky’s studio that he met many friends and fellow performers and sang in various recitals of opera music that included among other things the early Trio from Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” and Pavarotti’s now-familiar aria "Nessun dorma" from Puccini's "Turandot."
Around 1978 Ken met his partner, Don Onsgard, with whom he recently celebrated a 48-year anniversary (though Ken used to claim it was 49 years since it apparently seemed longer to him). This low-key celebration was with cupcakes provided during his final comparatively short stay in the I.C.U.
Ken and Don loved to travel and, over the course of their time together, they traveled to locations in eastern United States including New York City, Boston (Symphony Hall), Pittsburgh, Philadelphia (Liberty Bell and Independence Hall), D.C. (The Kennedy Center), and south to New Orleans. They also shared an auto trip through Canada, from Winnipeg though Upper Michigan and the Niagara Falls/Buffalo area. A lengthy Amtrak trip made a big loop through the U.S. and found them leaving from St. Paul to Chicago, then making a stop at Flagstaff, Arizona (to see the Grand Canyon), then on to Los Angeles, San Diego (where they visited friends from Northfield and took a street car to the Mexican border where they crossed to Tijuana), up the west coast to Seattle, then to Glacier Park and a return to their starting place in St. Paul. They also traveled to the U.K. twice. The second time they explored England by auto from North to South with a short side trip to Paris, booked as English tourists. In England, they attended concerts at the Royal Albert Hall (Tchaikovsky's "1812" Oveture), at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (a production of Gounod's opera, "Faust," with Alfredo Krauss), Windsor Castle, Eton College (boys' school), the Royal Pavilion at Brighton, the Roman Baths at Bath, Salisbury Cathedral, a concert at Oxford Town Hall, and two concerts as part of Benjamin Britten's Aldeburgh Festival: one in the Concert Hall at Snape and another at a church in Norwich. The farthest they strayed from the U.S. was when they crossed the equator to visit a Polish friend in Australia that they had met in London. On his own Ken took several Caribbean cruises and a cruise to Hawaii, sponsored by the Cosmetology Association, then located in Edina.
Ken was an early morning person and very dedicated to the faithful service of his clients at the various salons he worked in over the years. Rain, snow, sleet, or hail would never deter him from commuting from Stillwater or Northfield to his customers in St. Paul. He was greatly loved and respected by the staff of Amazing Beauty on Grand Avenue in St. Paul during the years that he worked there and continuing until the time of his retirement.
Ken was the ultimate optimistic, jovial, kind-hearted, outgoing, and devoted person whose unbounded friendliness, love, and sense of humor were greatly admired and appreciated by many.
Ken had a loving, caring, and close family. Ken is survived by his partner, Don Onsgard; his sister, Shirley Iverson (Richard); his nieces and nephews, Butch Clayton, April Wohlers (John), Melissa Iverson, Bambi Gervais (Travis) and Serina Clayton (Charlie); cousin, Mary Griebler; and many extended family members, friends, former clients, and colleagues who will miss him dearly. He was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Lenore Lee, his sister, Sandy Clayton, and his aunt Adele Steinbeiser.
In lieu of flowers, please send a memorial gift to the Senior Center (FiftyNorth), 1651 Jefferson Parkway, Northfield. https://fiftynorth.org/
A celebration of his life will be held from 4-7 PM, Thursday, October 1, 2026 at FiftyNorth in Northfield. A reception with supper will begin at 6 PM, serving Ken's favorite Broasted Chicken Dinner from the Quarterback Club.
Arrangements are with the Bierman, Benson & Langehough Funeral Home & Crematory in Northfield. www.northfieldfuneral.com
Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.
Kenneth [no middle name] Lee was born in Stillwater, Minnesota, to Lenore Steinbeiser and
Harold Lee, on April 12, 1947, the surviving member of a set of boy twins. Early on, he also
survived a bout of polio when his dad drove him daily for treatment to what was then
(interestingly enough) called the Sister Kenny Institute, which is now a part of the larger facility
(Abbott-Northwestern Hospital) where Kenny drew his last breath.
During his recent, comparatively short stay in the I.C.U., Ken was well-cared for at Allina/Abbott
Northwestern Hospital that was brand new and open for less than one week. Care was provided
by competent and compassionate nurses, among them, Michael from St. Michael’s, Anthony from
Trinidad and Tobago, and Fillestri and Dennis from Kenya.
After graduating from high school, he embarked on a career in Cosmetology and was driven to
daily classes by his aunt, Adele Steinbeiser (who, by the way, lived to the age of 103!). Eventually
Ken graduated and was able to set out on his own, being employed by Albert Mintz at Brian’s of
St. Clair, located at the corner of St. Clair and Hamline in St. Paul. Albert and Ken were friends –
Ken was almost a member of the family – and they shared an interest in and love of music. During
his life, Ken sang in a number of church choirs in St. Paul and, later, in Northfield, sang in the St.
John’s Choir and The Troubadours, the senior men’s chorus associated with the Northfield
Senior Center (FiiftyNorth) where Ken also appeared in several plays.
He left for the FiftyNorth every day promptly at 5:35 a.m., timed to hopefully beat the early train
at the 2nd Street crossing! He loved the hot tub (when it was working properly) and exercised
with the water aerobics classes. Later he led this class and frequently participated in the Center’s
activities as well as serving on the Board.
Ken was active in the Cosmetology Association in Edina, serving on their Board and also traveling
to a number of locations in Minnesota to serve as an instructor. A highlight of Ken’s life was when
he received the Vera Slater Award, a kind of Academy Award for service in this field.
During his life he studied voice with Agnes Lisowsky in St. Paul, whose husband, Peter Lisowsky,
played violin in what was then called the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra and later Peter
directed an orchestra that was organized at the Jewish Community Center in St. Paul. It was at
Agnes Lisowky’s studio that he met many friends and fellow performers and sang in various
recitals of opera music that included among other things the early Trio from Mozart’s “The Magic
Flute” and Pavarotti’s now-familiar aria "Nessun dorma" from Puccini's "Turandot."
Around 1978 Ken met his partner, Don Onsgard, with whom he recently celebrated a 48-year
anniversary (though Ken used to claim it was 49 years since it apparently seemed longer to him).
This low-key celebration was with cupcakes provided during his final comparatively short stay in
the I.C.U.
Ken and Don loved to travel and, over the course of their time together, they traveled to locations
in eastern United States including New York City, Boston (Symphony Hall), Pittsburgh,
Philadelphia (Liberty Bell and Independence Hall), D.C. (The Kennedy Center), and south to New
Orleans. They also shared an auto trip through Canada, from Winnipeg though Upper Michigan
and the Niagara Falls/Buffalo area. A lengthy Amtrak trip made a big loop through the U.S. and
found them leaving from St. Paul to Chicago, then making a stop at Flagstaff, Arizona (to see the
Grand Canyon), then on to Los Angeles, San Diego (where they visited friends from Northfield
and took a street car to the Mexican border where they crossed to Tijuana), up the west coast to
Seattle, then to Glacier Park and a return to their starting place in St. Paul. They also traveled to
the U.K. twice. The second time they explored England by auto from North to South with a short
side trip to Paris, booked as English tourists. In England, they attended concerts at the Royal
Albert Hall (Tchaikovsky's "1812" Oveture), at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (a
production of Gounod's opera, "Faust," with Alfredo Krauss), Windsor Castle, Eton College
(boys' school), the Royal Pavilion at Brighton, the Roman Baths at Bath, Salisbury Cathedral, a
concert at Oxford Town Hall, and two concerts as part of Benjamin Britten's Aldeburgh Festival:
one in the Concert Hall at Snape and another at a church in Norwich. The farthest they strayed
from the U.S. was when they crossed the equator to visit a Polish friend in Australia that they had
met in London. On his own Ken took several Caribbean cruises and a cruise to Hawaii, sponsored
by the Cosmetology Association, then located in Edina.
Ken was an early morning person and very dedicated to the faithful service of his clients at the
various salons he worked in over the years. Rain, snow, sleet, or hail would never deter him from
commuting from Stillwater or Northfield to his customers in St. Paul. He was greatly loved and
respected by the staff of Amazing Beauty on Grand Avenue in St. Paul during the years that he
worked there and continuing until the time of his retirement.
Ken was the ultimate optimistic, jovial, kind-hearted, outgoing, and devoted person whose
unbounded friendliness, love, and sense of humor were greatly admired and appreciated by
many.
Ken had a loving, caring, and close family. Ken is survived by his partner, Don Onsgard; his sister,
Shirley Iverson (Richard); his nieces and nephews, Butch Clayton, April Wohlers (John), Melissa
Iverson, Bambi Gervais (Travis) and Serina Clayton (Charlie); cousin, Mary Griebler; and many
extended family members, friends, former clients, and colleagues who will miss him dearly. He
was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Lenore Lee, his sister, Sandy Clayton, and his
aunt Adele Steinbeiser.
In lieu of flowers, please send a memorial gift to the Senior Center (FiftyNorth), 1651 Jefferson Parkway, Northfield. https://fiftynorth.org/
A celebration
Kenneth [no middle name] Lee was born in Stillwater, Minnesota, to Lenore Steinbeiser and Harold Lee, on April 12, 1947, the surviving member of a set of boy twins. Early on, he also survived a bout of polio when his dad drove him daily for treatment to what was then (interestingly enough) called the Sister Kenny Institute, which is now a part of the larger facility (Abbott-Northwestern Hospital) where Kenny drew his last breath.
During his recent, comparatively short stay in the I.C.U., Ken was well-cared for at Allina/Abbott Northwestern Hospital that was brand new and open for less than one week. Care was provided by competent and compassionate nurses, among them, Michael from St. Michael’s, Anthony from Trinidad and Tobago, and Fillestri and Dennis from Kenya.
After graduating from high school, he embarked on a career in Cosmetology and was driven to daily classes by his aunt, Adele Steinbeiser (who, by the way, lived to the age of 103!). Eventually Ken graduated and was able to set out on his own, being employed by Albert Mintz at Brian’s of St. Clair, located at the corner of St. Clair and Hamline in St. Paul. Albert and Ken were friends – Ken was almost a member of the family – and they shared an interest in and love of music. During his life, Ken sang in a number of church choirs in St. Paul and, later, in Northfield, sang in the St. John’s Choir and The Troubadours, the senior men’s chorus associated with the Northfield Senior Center (FiiftyNorth) where Ken also appeared in several plays.
He left for the FiftyNorth every day promptly at 5:35 a.m., timed to hopefully beat the early train at the 2nd Street crossing! He loved the hot tub (when it was working properly) and exercised with the water aerobics classes. Later he led this class and frequently participated in the Center’s activities as well as serving on the Board.
Ken was active in the Cosmetology Association in Edina, serving on their Board and also traveling to a number of locations in Minnesota to serve as an instructor. A highlight of Ken’s life was when he received the Vera Slater Award, a kind of Academy Award for service in this field.
During his life he studied voice with Agnes Lisowsky in St. Paul, whose husband, Peter Lisowsky, played violin in what was then called the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra and later Peter directed an orchestra that was organized at the Jewish Community Center in St. Paul. It was at Agnes Lisowky’s studio that he met many friends and fellow performers and sang in various recitals of opera music that included among other things the early Trio from Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” and Pavarotti’s now-familiar aria "Nessun dorma" from Puccini's "Turandot."
Around 1978 Ken met his partner, Don Onsgard, with whom he recently celebrated a 48-year anniversary (though Ken used to claim it was 49 years since it apparently seemed longer to him). This low-key celebration was with cupcakes provided during his final comparatively short stay in the I.C.U.
Ken and Don loved to travel and, over the course of their time together, they traveled to locations in eastern United States including New York City, Boston (Symphony Hall), Pittsburgh, Philadelphia (Liberty Bell and Independence Hall), D.C. (The Kennedy Center), and south to New Orleans. They also shared an auto trip through Canada, from Winnipeg though Upper Michigan and the Niagara Falls/Buffalo area. A lengthy Amtrak trip made a big loop through the U.S. and found them leaving from St. Paul to Chicago, then making a stop at Flagstaff, Arizona (to see the Grand Canyon), then on to Los Angeles, San Diego (where they visited friends from Northfield and took a street car to the Mexican border where they crossed to Tijuana), up the west coast to Seattle, then to Glacier Park and a return to their starting place in St. Paul. They also traveled to the U.K. twice. The second time they explored England by auto from North to South with a short side trip to Paris, booked as English tourists. In England, they attended concerts at the Royal Albert Hall (Tchaikovsky's "1812" Oveture), at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (a production of Gounod's opera, "Faust," with Alfredo Krauss), Windsor Castle, Eton College (boys' school), the Royal Pavilion at Brighton, the Roman Baths at Bath, Salisbury Cathedral, a concert at Oxford Town Hall, and two concerts as part of Benjamin Britten's Aldeburgh Festival: one in the Concert Hall at Snape and another at a church in Norwich. The farthest they strayed from the U.S. was when they crossed the equator to visit a Polish friend in Australia that they had met in London. On his own Ken took several Caribbean cruises and a cruise to Hawaii, sponsored by the Cosmetology Association, then located in Edina.
Ken was an early morning person and very dedicated to the faithful service of his clients at the various salons he worked in over the years. Rain, snow, sleet, or hail would never deter him from commuting from Stillwater or Northfield to his customers in St. Paul. He was greatly loved and respected by the staff of Amazing Beauty on Grand Avenue in St. Paul during the years that he worked there and continuing until the time of his retirement.
Ken was the ultimate optimistic, jovial, kind-hearted, outgoing, and devoted person whose unbounded friendliness, love, and sense of humor were greatly admired and appreciated by many.
Ken had a loving, caring, and close family. Ken is survived by his partner, Don Onsgard; his sister, Shirley Iverson (Richard); his nieces and nephews, Butch Clayton, April Wohlers (John), Melissa Iverson, Bambi Gervais (Travis) and Serina Clayton (Charlie); cousin, Mary Griebler; and many extended family members, friends, former clients, and colleagues who will miss him dearly. He was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Lenore Lee, his sister, Sandy Clayton, and his aunt Adele Steinbeiser.
In lieu of flowers, please send a memorial gift to the Senior Center (FiftyNorth), 1651 Jefferson Parkway, Northfield. https://fiftynorth.org/
A celebration of his life will be held from 4-7 PM, Thursday, October 1, 2026 at FiftyNorth in Northfield. A reception with supper will begin at 6 PM, serving Ken's favorite Broasted Chicken Dinner from the Quarterback Club.
Arrangements are with the Bierman, Benson & Langehough Funeral Home & Crematory in Northfield. www.northfieldfuneral.com
Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.
Kenneth [no middle name] Lee was born in Stillwater, Minnesota, to Lenore Steinbeiser and
Harold Lee, on April 12, 1947, the surviving member of a set of boy twins. Early on, he also
survived a bout of polio when his dad drove him daily for treatment to what was then
(interestingly enough) called the Sister Kenny Institute, which is now a part of the larger facility
(Abbott-Northwestern Hospital) where Kenny drew his last breath.
During his recent, comparatively short stay in the I.C.U., Ken was well-cared for at Allina/Abbott
Northwestern Hospital that was brand new and open for less than one week. Care was provided
by competent and compassionate nurses, among them, Michael from St. Michael’s, Anthony from
Trinidad and Tobago, and Fillestri and Dennis from Kenya.
After graduating from high school, he embarked on a career in Cosmetology and was driven to
daily classes by his aunt, Adele Steinbeiser (who, by the way, lived to the age of 103!). Eventually
Ken graduated and was able to set out on his own, being employed by Albert Mintz at Brian’s of
St. Clair, located at the corner of St. Clair and Hamline in St. Paul. Albert and Ken were friends –
Ken was almost a member of the family – and they shared an interest in and love of music. During
his life, Ken sang in a number of church choirs in St. Paul and, later, in Northfield, sang in the St.
John’s Choir and The Troubadours, the senior men’s chorus associated with the Northfield
Senior Center (FiiftyNorth) where Ken also appeared in several plays.
He left for the FiftyNorth every day promptly at 5:35 a.m., timed to hopefully beat the early train
at the 2nd Street crossing! He loved the hot tub (when it was working properly) and exercised
with the water aerobics classes. Later he led this class and frequently participated in the Center’s
activities as well as serving on the Board.
Ken was active in the Cosmetology Association in Edina, serving on their Board and also traveling
to a number of locations in Minnesota to serve as an instructor. A highlight of Ken’s life was when
he received the Vera Slater Award, a kind of Academy Award for service in this field.
During his life he studied voice with Agnes Lisowsky in St. Paul, whose husband, Peter Lisowsky,
played violin in what was then called the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra and later Peter
directed an orchestra that was organized at the Jewish Community Center in St. Paul. It was at
Agnes Lisowky’s studio that he met many friends and fellow performers and sang in various
recitals of opera music that included among other things the early Trio from Mozart’s “The Magic
Flute” and Pavarotti’s now-familiar aria "Nessun dorma" from Puccini's "Turandot."
Around 1978 Ken met his partner, Don Onsgard, with whom he recently celebrated a 48-year
anniversary (though Ken used to claim it was 49 years since it apparently seemed longer to him).
This low-key celebration was with cupcakes provided during his final comparatively short stay in
the I.C.U.
Ken and Don loved to travel and, over the course of their time together, they traveled to locations
in eastern United States including New York City, Boston (Symphony Hall), Pittsburgh,
Philadelphia (Liberty Bell and Independence Hall), D.C. (The Kennedy Center), and south to New
Orleans. They also shared an auto trip through Canada, from Winnipeg though Upper Michigan
and the Niagara Falls/Buffalo area. A lengthy Amtrak trip made a big loop through the U.S. and
found them leaving from St. Paul to Chicago, then making a stop at Flagstaff, Arizona (to see the
Grand Canyon), then on to Los Angeles, San Diego (where they visited friends from Northfield
and took a street car to the Mexican border where they crossed to Tijuana), up the west coast to
Seattle, then to Glacier Park and a return to their starting place in St. Paul. They also traveled to
the U.K. twice. The second time they explored England by auto from North to South with a short
side trip to Paris, booked as English tourists. In England, they attended concerts at the Royal
Albert Hall (Tchaikovsky's "1812" Oveture), at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (a
production of Gounod's opera, "Faust," with Alfredo Krauss), Windsor Castle, Eton College
(boys' school), the Royal Pavilion at Brighton, the Roman Baths at Bath, Salisbury Cathedral, a
concert at Oxford Town Hall, and two concerts as part of Benjamin Britten's Aldeburgh Festival:
one in the Concert Hall at Snape and another at a church in Norwich. The farthest they strayed
from the U.S. was when they crossed the equator to visit a Polish friend in Australia that they had
met in London. On his own Ken took several Caribbean cruises and a cruise to Hawaii, sponsored
by the Cosmetology Association, then located in Edina.
Ken was an early morning person and very dedicated to the faithful service of his clients at the
various salons he worked in over the years. Rain, snow, sleet, or hail would never deter him from
commuting from Stillwater or Northfield to his customers in St. Paul. He was greatly loved and
respected by the staff of Amazing Beauty on Grand Avenue in St. Paul during the years that he
worked there and continuing until the time of his retirement.
Ken was the ultimate optimistic, jovial, kind-hearted, outgoing, and devoted person whose
unbounded friendliness, love, and sense of humor were greatly admired and appreciated by
many.
Ken had a loving, caring, and close family. Ken is survived by his partner, Don Onsgard; his sister,
Shirley Iverson (Richard); his nieces and nephews, Butch Clayton, April Wohlers (John), Melissa
Iverson, Bambi Gervais (Travis) and Serina Clayton (Charlie); cousin, Mary Griebler; and many
extended family members, friends, former clients, and colleagues who will miss him dearly. He
was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Lenore Lee, his sister, Sandy Clayton, and his
aunt Adele Steinbeiser.
In lieu of flowers, please send a memorial gift to the Senior Center (FiftyNorth), 1651 Jefferson Parkway, Northfield. https://fiftynorth.org/
A celebration
Ken Lee, age 79, of Northfield, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, September 6, 2026, at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.
Kenneth [no middle name] Lee was born in Stillwater, Minnesota, to Lenore Steinbeiser and Harold Lee, on April 12, 1947, the surviving member of a set of boy twins. Early on, he also survived a bout of polio when his dad drove him daily for treatment to what was then (interestingly enough) called the Sister Kenny Institute, which is now a part of the larger facility (Abbott-Northwestern Hospital) where Kenny drew his last breath.
During his recent, comparatively short stay in the I.C.U., Ken was well-cared for at Allina/Abbott Northwestern Hospital that was brand new and open for less than one week. Care was provided by competent and compassionate nurses, among them, Michael from St. Michael’s, Anthony from Trinidad and Tobago, and Fillestri and Dennis from Kenya.
After graduating from high school, he embarked on a career in Cosmetology and was driven to daily classes by his aunt, Adele Steinbeiser (who, by the way, lived to the age of 103!). Eventually Ken graduated and was able to set out on his own, being employed by Albert Mintz at Brian’s of St. Clair, located at the corner of St. Clair and Hamline in St. Paul. Albert and Ken were friends – Ken was almost a member of the family – and they shared an interest in and love of music. During his life, Ken sang in a number of church choirs in St. Paul and, later, in Northfield, sang in the St. John’s Choir and The Troubadours, the senior men’s chorus associated with the Northfield Senior Center (FiiftyNorth) where Ken also appeared in several plays.
He left for the FiftyNorth every day promptly at 5:35 a.m., timed to hopefully beat the early train at the 2nd Street crossing! He loved the hot tub (when it was working properly) and exercised with the water aerobics classes. Later he led this class and frequently participated in the Center’s activities as well as serving on the Board.
Ken was active in the Cosmetology Association in Edina, serving on their Board and also traveling to a number of locations in Minnesota to serve as an instructor. A highlight of Ken’s life was when he received the Vera Slater Award, a kind of Academy Award for service in this field.
During his life he studied voice with Agnes Lisowsky in St. Paul, whose husband, Peter Lisowsky, played violin in what was then called the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra and later Peter directed an orchestra that was organized at the Jewish Community Center in St. Paul. It was at Agnes Lisowky’s studio that he met many friends and fellow performers and sang in various recitals of opera music that included among other things the early Trio from Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” and Pavarotti’s now-familiar aria "Nessun dorma" from Puccini's "Turandot."
Around 1978 Ken met his partner, Don Onsgard, with whom he recently celebrated a 48-year anniversary (though Ken used to claim it was 49 years since it apparently seemed longer to him). This low-key celebration was with cupcakes provided during his final comparatively short stay in the I.C.U.
Ken and Don loved to travel and, over the course of their time together, they traveled to locations in eastern United States including New York City, Boston (Symphony Hall), Pittsburgh, Philadelphia (Liberty Bell and Independence Hall), D.C. (The Kennedy Center), and south to New Orleans. They also shared an auto trip through Canada, from Winnipeg though Upper Michigan and the Niagara Falls/Buffalo area. A lengthy Amtrak trip made a big loop through the U.S. and found them leaving from St. Paul to Chicago, then making a stop at Flagstaff, Arizona (to see the Grand Canyon), then on to Los Angeles, San Diego (where they visited friends from Northfield and took a street car to the Mexican border where they crossed to Tijuana), up the west coast to Seattle, then to Glacier Park and a return to their starting place in St. Paul. They also traveled to the U.K. twice. The second time they explored England by auto from North to South with a short side trip to Paris, booked as English tourists. In England, they attended concerts at the Royal Albert Hall (Tchaikovsky's "1812" Oveture), at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (a production of Gounod's opera, "Faust," with Alfredo Krauss), Windsor Castle, Eton College (boys' school), the Royal Pavilion at Brighton, the Roman Baths at Bath, Salisbury Cathedral, a concert at Oxford Town Hall, and two concerts as part of Benjamin Britten's Aldeburgh Festival: one in the Concert Hall at Snape and another at a church in Norwich. The farthest they strayed from the U.S. was when they crossed the equator to visit a Polish friend in Australia that they had met in London. On his own Ken took several Caribbean cruises and a cruise to Hawaii, sponsored by the Cosmetology Association, then located in Edina.
Ken was an early morning person and very dedicated to the faithful service of his clients at the various salons he worked in over the years. Rain, snow, sleet, or hail would never deter him from commuting from Stillwater or Northfield to his customers in St. Paul. He was greatly loved and respected by the staff of Amazing Beauty on Grand Avenue in St. Paul during the years that he worked there and continuing until the time of his retirement.
Ken was the ultimate optimistic, jovial, kind-hearted, outgoing, and devoted person whose unbounded friendliness, love, and sense of humor were greatly admired and appreciated by many.
Ken had a loving, caring, and close family. Ken is survived by his partner, Don Onsgard; his sister, Shirley Iverson (Richard); his nieces and nephews, Butch Clayton, April Wohlers (John), Melissa Iverson, Bambi Gervais (Travis) and Serina Clayton (Charlie); cousin, Mary Griebler; and many extended family members, friends, former clients, and colleagues who will miss him dearly. He was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Lenore Lee, his sister, Sandy Clayton, and his aunt Adele Steinbeiser.
In lieu of flowers, please send a memorial gift to the Senior Center (FiftyNorth), 1651 Jefferson Parkway, Northfield. https://fiftynorth.org/
A celebration of his life will be held from 4-7 PM, Thursday, October 1, 2026 at FiftyNorth in Northfield. A reception with supper will begin at 6 PM, serving Ken's favorite Broasted Chicken Dinner from the Quarterback Club.
Arrangements are with the Bierman, Benson & Langehough Funeral Home & Crematory in Northfield. www.northfieldfuneral.com
Ken Lee, age 79, of Northfield, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, September 6, 2026, at
Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.
Kenneth [no middle name] Lee was born in Stillwater, Minnesota, to Lenore Steinbeiser and
Harold Lee, on April 12, 1947, the surviving member of a set of boy twins. Early on, he also
survived a bout of polio when his dad drove him daily for treatment to what was then
(interestingly enough) called the Sister Kenny Institute, which is now a part of the larger facility
(Abbott-Northwestern Hospital) where Kenny drew his last breath.
During his recent, comparatively short stay in the I.C.U., Ken was well-cared for at Allina/Abbott
Northwestern Hospital that was brand new and open for less than one week. Care was provided
by competent and compassionate nurses, among them, Michael from St. Michael’s, Anthony from
Trinidad and Tobago, and Fillestri and Dennis from Kenya.
After graduating from high school, he embarked on a career in Cosmetology and was driven to
daily classes by his aunt, Adele Steinbeiser (who, by the way, lived to the age of 103!). Eventually
Ken graduated and was able to set out on his own, being employed by Albert Mintz at Brian’s of
St. Clair, located at the corner of St. Clair and Hamline in St. Paul. Albert and Ken were friends –
Ken was almost a member of the family – and they shared an interest in and love of music. During
his life, Ken sang in a number of church choirs in St. Paul and, later, in Northfield, sang in the St.
John’s Choir and The Troubadours, the senior men’s chorus associated with the Northfield
Senior Center (FiiftyNorth) where Ken also appeared in several plays.
He left for the FiftyNorth every day promptly at 5:35 a.m., timed to hopefully beat the early train
at the 2nd Street crossing! He loved the hot tub (when it was working properly) and exercised
with the water aerobics classes. Later he led this class and frequently participated in the Center’s
activities as well as serving on the Board.
Ken was active in the Cosmetology Association in Edina, serving on their Board and also traveling
to a number of locations in Minnesota to serve as an instructor. A highlight of Ken’s life was when
he received the Vera Slater Award, a kind of Academy Award for service in this field.
During his life he studied voice with Agnes Lisowsky in St. Paul, whose husband, Peter Lisowsky,
played violin in what was then called the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra and later Peter
directed an orchestra that was organized at the Jewish Community Center in St. Paul. It was at
Agnes Lisowky’s studio that he met many friends and fellow performers and sang in various
recitals of opera music that included among other things the early Trio from Mozart’s “The Magic
Flute” and Pavarotti’s now-familiar aria "Nessun dorma" from Puccini's "Turandot."
Around 1978 Ken met his partner, Don Onsgard, with whom he recently celebrated a 48-year
anniversary (though Ken used to claim it was 49 years since it apparently seemed longer to him).
This low-key celebration was with cupcakes provided during his final comparatively short stay in
the I.C.U.
Ken and Don loved to travel and, over the course of their time together, they traveled to locations
in eastern United States including New York City, Boston (Symphony Hall), Pittsburgh,
Philadelphia (Liberty Bell and Independence Hall), D.C. (The Kennedy Center), and south to New
Orleans. They also shared an auto trip through Canada, from Winnipeg though Upper Michigan
and the Niagara Falls/Buffalo area. A lengthy Amtrak trip made a big loop through the U.S. and
found them leaving from St. Paul to Chicago, then making a stop at Flagstaff, Arizona (to see the
Grand Canyon), then on to Los Angeles, San Diego (where they visited friends from Northfield
and took a street car to the Mexican border where they crossed to Tijuana), up the west coast to
Seattle, then to Glacier Park and a return to their starting place in St. Paul. They also traveled to
the U.K. twice. The second time they explored England by auto from North to South with a short
side trip to Paris, booked as English tourists. In England, they attended concerts at the Royal
Albert Hall (Tchaikovsky's "1812" Oveture), at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (a
production of Gounod's opera, "Faust," with Alfredo Krauss), Windsor Castle, Eton College
(boys' school), the Royal Pavilion at Brighton, the Roman Baths at Bath, Salisbury Cathedral, a
concert at Oxford Town Hall, and two concerts as part of Benjamin Britten's Aldeburgh Festival:
one in the Concert Hall at Snape and another at a church in Norwich. The farthest they strayed
from the U.S. was when they crossed the equator to visit a Polish friend in Australia that they had
met in London. On his own Ken took several Caribbean cruises and a cruise to Hawaii, sponsored
by the Cosmetology Association, then located in Edina.
Ken was an early morning person and very dedicated to the faithful service of his clients at the
various salons he worked in over the years. Rain, snow, sleet, or hail would never deter him from
commuting from Stillwater or Northfield to his customers in St. Paul. He was greatly loved and
respected by the staff of Amazing Beauty on Grand Avenue in St. Paul during the years that he
worked there and continuing until the time of his retirement.
Ken was the ultimate optimistic, jovial, kind-hearted, outgoing, and devoted person whose
unbounded friendliness, love, and sense of humor were greatly admired and appreciated by
many.
Ken had a loving, caring, and close family. Ken is survived by his partner, Don Onsgard; his sister,
Shirley Iverson (Richard); his nieces and nephews, Butch Clayton, April Wohlers (John), Melissa
Iverson, Bambi Gervais (Travis) and Serina Clayton (Charlie); cousin, Mary Griebler; and many
extended family members, friends, former clients, and colleagues who will miss him dearly. He
was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Lenore Lee, his sister, Sandy Clayton, and his
aunt Adele Steinbeiser.
In lieu of flowers, please send a memorial gift to the Senior Center (FiftyNorth), 1651 Jefferson
Parkway, Northfield. https://fiftynorth.org/
A celebration of his life will be held from 4-7 PM, Thursday, October 1, 2026 at FiftyNorth in
Northfield. A reception with supper will begin at 6 PM, serving Ken's favorite Broasted Chicken
Dinner from
Kenneth [no middle name] Lee was born in Stillwater, Minnesota, to Lenore Steinbeiser and Harold Lee, on April 12, 1947, the surviving member of a set of boy twins. Early on, he also survived a bout of polio when his dad drove him daily for treatment to what was then (interestingly enough) called the Sister Kenny Institute, which is now a part of the larger facility (Abbott-Northwestern Hospital) where Kenny drew his last breath.
During his recent, comparatively short stay in the I.C.U., Ken was well-cared for at Allina/Abbott Northwestern Hospital that was brand new and open for less than one week. Care was provided by competent and compassionate nurses, among them, Michael from St. Michael’s, Anthony from Trinidad and Tobago, and Fillestri and Dennis from Kenya.
After graduating from high school, he embarked on a career in Cosmetology and was driven to daily classes by his aunt, Adele Steinbeiser (who, by the way, lived to the age of 103!). Eventually Ken graduated and was able to set out on his own, being employed by Albert Mintz at Brian’s of St. Clair, located at the corner of St. Clair and Hamline in St. Paul. Albert and Ken were friends – Ken was almost a member of the family – and they shared an interest in and love of music. During his life, Ken sang in a number of church choirs in St. Paul and, later, in Northfield, sang in the St. John’s Choir and The Troubadours, the senior men’s chorus associated with the Northfield Senior Center (FiiftyNorth) where Ken also appeared in several plays.
He left for the FiftyNorth every day promptly at 5:35 a.m., timed to hopefully beat the early train at the 2nd Street crossing! He loved the hot tub (when it was working properly) and exercised with the water aerobics classes. Later he led this class and frequently participated in the Center’s activities as well as serving on the Board.
Ken was active in the Cosmetology Association in Edina, serving on their Board and also traveling to a number of locations in Minnesota to serve as an instructor. A highlight of Ken’s life was when he received the Vera Slater Award, a kind of Academy Award for service in this field.
During his life he studied voice with Agnes Lisowsky in St. Paul, whose husband, Peter Lisowsky, played violin in what was then called the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra and later Peter directed an orchestra that was organized at the Jewish Community Center in St. Paul. It was at Agnes Lisowky’s studio that he met many friends and fellow performers and sang in various recitals of opera music that included among other things the early Trio from Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” and Pavarotti’s now-familiar aria "Nessun dorma" from Puccini's "Turandot."
Around 1978 Ken met his partner, Don Onsgard, with whom he recently celebrated a 48-year anniversary (though Ken used to claim it was 49 years since it apparently seemed longer to him). This low-key celebration was with cupcakes provided during his final comparatively short stay in the I.C.U.
Ken and Don loved to travel and, over the course of their time together, they traveled to locations in eastern United States including New York City, Boston (Symphony Hall), Pittsburgh, Philadelphia (Liberty Bell and Independence Hall), D.C. (The Kennedy Center), and south to New Orleans. They also shared an auto trip through Canada, from Winnipeg though Upper Michigan and the Niagara Falls/Buffalo area. A lengthy Amtrak trip made a big loop through the U.S. and found them leaving from St. Paul to Chicago, then making a stop at Flagstaff, Arizona (to see the Grand Canyon), then on to Los Angeles, San Diego (where they visited friends from Northfield and took a street car to the Mexican border where they crossed to Tijuana), up the west coast to Seattle, then to Glacier Park and a return to their starting place in St. Paul. They also traveled to the U.K. twice. The second time they explored England by auto from North to South with a short side trip to Paris, booked as English tourists. In England, they attended concerts at the Royal Albert Hall (Tchaikovsky's "1812" Oveture), at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (a production of Gounod's opera, "Faust," with Alfredo Krauss), Windsor Castle, Eton College (boys' school), the Royal Pavilion at Brighton, the Roman Baths at Bath, Salisbury Cathedral, a concert at Oxford Town Hall, and two concerts as part of Benjamin Britten's Aldeburgh Festival: one in the Concert Hall at Snape and another at a church in Norwich. The farthest they strayed from the U.S. was when they crossed the equator to visit a Polish friend in Australia that they had met in London. On his own Ken took several Caribbean cruises and a cruise to Hawaii, sponsored by the Cosmetology Association, then located in Edina.
Ken was an early morning person and very dedicated to the faithful service of his clients at the various salons he worked in over the years. Rain, snow, sleet, or hail would never deter him from commuting from Stillwater or Northfield to his customers in St. Paul. He was greatly loved and respected by the staff of Amazing Beauty on Grand Avenue in St. Paul during the years that he worked there and continuing until the time of his retirement.
Ken was the ultimate optimistic, jovial, kind-hearted, outgoing, and devoted person whose unbounded friendliness, love, and sense of humor were greatly admired and appreciated by many.
Ken had a loving, caring, and close family. Ken is survived by his partner, Don Onsgard; his sister, Shirley Iverson (Richard); his nieces and nephews, Butch Clayton, April Wohlers (John), Melissa Iverson, Bambi Gervais (Travis) and Serina Clayton (Charlie); cousin, Mary Griebler; and many extended family members, friends, former clients, and colleagues who will miss him dearly. He was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Lenore Lee, his sister, Sandy Clayton, and his aunt Adele Steinbeiser.
In lieu of flowers, please send a memorial gift to the Senior Center (FiftyNorth), 1651 Jefferson Parkway, Northfield. https://fiftynorth.org/
A celebration of his life will be held from 4-7 PM, Thursday, October 1, 2026 at FiftyNorth in Northfield. A reception with supper will begin at 6 PM, serving Ken's favorite Broasted Chicken Dinner from the Quarterback Club.
Arrangements are with the Bierman, Benson & Langehough Funeral Home & Crematory in Northfield. www.northfieldfuneral.com
Ken Lee, age 79, of Northfield, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, September 6, 2026, at
Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.
Kenneth [no middle name] Lee was born in Stillwater, Minnesota, to Lenore Steinbeiser and
Harold Lee, on April 12, 1947, the surviving member of a set of boy twins. Early on, he also
survived a bout of polio when his dad drove him daily for treatment to what was then
(interestingly enough) called the Sister Kenny Institute, which is now a part of the larger facility
(Abbott-Northwestern Hospital) where Kenny drew his last breath.
During his recent, comparatively short stay in the I.C.U., Ken was well-cared for at Allina/Abbott
Northwestern Hospital that was brand new and open for less than one week. Care was provided
by competent and compassionate nurses, among them, Michael from St. Michael’s, Anthony from
Trinidad and Tobago, and Fillestri and Dennis from Kenya.
After graduating from high school, he embarked on a career in Cosmetology and was driven to
daily classes by his aunt, Adele Steinbeiser (who, by the way, lived to the age of 103!). Eventually
Ken graduated and was able to set out on his own, being employed by Albert Mintz at Brian’s of
St. Clair, located at the corner of St. Clair and Hamline in St. Paul. Albert and Ken were friends –
Ken was almost a member of the family – and they shared an interest in and love of music. During
his life, Ken sang in a number of church choirs in St. Paul and, later, in Northfield, sang in the St.
John’s Choir and The Troubadours, the senior men’s chorus associated with the Northfield
Senior Center (FiiftyNorth) where Ken also appeared in several plays.
He left for the FiftyNorth every day promptly at 5:35 a.m., timed to hopefully beat the early train
at the 2nd Street crossing! He loved the hot tub (when it was working properly) and exercised
with the water aerobics classes. Later he led this class and frequently participated in the Center’s
activities as well as serving on the Board.
Ken was active in the Cosmetology Association in Edina, serving on their Board and also traveling
to a number of locations in Minnesota to serve as an instructor. A highlight of Ken’s life was when
he received the Vera Slater Award, a kind of Academy Award for service in this field.
During his life he studied voice with Agnes Lisowsky in St. Paul, whose husband, Peter Lisowsky,
played violin in what was then called the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra and later Peter
directed an orchestra that was organized at the Jewish Community Center in St. Paul. It was at
Agnes Lisowky’s studio that he met many friends and fellow performers and sang in various
recitals of opera music that included among other things the early Trio from Mozart’s “The Magic
Flute” and Pavarotti’s now-familiar aria "Nessun dorma" from Puccini's "Turandot."
Around 1978 Ken met his partner, Don Onsgard, with whom he recently celebrated a 48-year
anniversary (though Ken used to claim it was 49 years since it apparently seemed longer to him).
This low-key celebration was with cupcakes provided during his final comparatively short stay in
the I.C.U.
Ken and Don loved to travel and, over the course of their time together, they traveled to locations
in eastern United States including New York City, Boston (Symphony Hall), Pittsburgh,
Philadelphia (Liberty Bell and Independence Hall), D.C. (The Kennedy Center), and south to New
Orleans. They also shared an auto trip through Canada, from Winnipeg though Upper Michigan
and the Niagara Falls/Buffalo area. A lengthy Amtrak trip made a big loop through the U.S. and
found them leaving from St. Paul to Chicago, then making a stop at Flagstaff, Arizona (to see the
Grand Canyon), then on to Los Angeles, San Diego (where they visited friends from Northfield
and took a street car to the Mexican border where they crossed to Tijuana), up the west coast to
Seattle, then to Glacier Park and a return to their starting place in St. Paul. They also traveled to
the U.K. twice. The second time they explored England by auto from North to South with a short
side trip to Paris, booked as English tourists. In England, they attended concerts at the Royal
Albert Hall (Tchaikovsky's "1812" Oveture), at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (a
production of Gounod's opera, "Faust," with Alfredo Krauss), Windsor Castle, Eton College
(boys' school), the Royal Pavilion at Brighton, the Roman Baths at Bath, Salisbury Cathedral, a
concert at Oxford Town Hall, and two concerts as part of Benjamin Britten's Aldeburgh Festival:
one in the Concert Hall at Snape and another at a church in Norwich. The farthest they strayed
from the U.S. was when they crossed the equator to visit a Polish friend in Australia that they had
met in London. On his own Ken took several Caribbean cruises and a cruise to Hawaii, sponsored
by the Cosmetology Association, then located in Edina.
Ken was an early morning person and very dedicated to the faithful service of his clients at the
various salons he worked in over the years. Rain, snow, sleet, or hail would never deter him from
commuting from Stillwater or Northfield to his customers in St. Paul. He was greatly loved and
respected by the staff of Amazing Beauty on Grand Avenue in St. Paul during the years that he
worked there and continuing until the time of his retirement.
Ken was the ultimate optimistic, jovial, kind-hearted, outgoing, and devoted person whose
unbounded friendliness, love, and sense of humor were greatly admired and appreciated by
many.
Ken had a loving, caring, and close family. Ken is survived by his partner, Don Onsgard; his sister,
Shirley Iverson (Richard); his nieces and nephews, Butch Clayton, April Wohlers (John), Melissa
Iverson, Bambi Gervais (Travis) and Serina Clayton (Charlie); cousin, Mary Griebler; and many
extended family members, friends, former clients, and colleagues who will miss him dearly. He
was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Lenore Lee, his sister, Sandy Clayton, and his
aunt Adele Steinbeiser.
In lieu of flowers, please send a memorial gift to the Senior Center (FiftyNorth), 1651 Jefferson
Parkway, Northfield. https://fiftynorth.org/
A celebration of his life will be held from 4-7 PM, Thursday, October 1, 2026 at FiftyNorth in
Northfield. A reception with supper will begin at 6 PM, serving Ken's favorite Broasted Chicken
Dinner from