Obituary of Lee Robert Englund

Lee Robert Englund of Duluth passed from this world on March 10, 2025, surrounded with the love of his wife, Rose, and his hospice care team. Lee was born in Duluth on January 28, 1949, the son of Robert & Phyllis Englund. Lee was a 1967 Denfeld grad. He did a short stint in the Coast Guard, playing trumpet in the band. He marched in the 1969 Ticker Tape Parade in New York City, when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin returned from their historic moon walk. Lee then went on to the University of Minnesota Duluth, to earn a
Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Applied Arts. He worked various construction jobs while paying his way through college. Lee taught art in Duluth Public Schools, kindergarten through twelfth grade, then moved into Denfeld, where he taught drawing and painting in the same classroom he so loved as a high-schooler. He cared deeply about his students and loved what he did. Lee retired from Denfeld, but went on to attend the University of Wisconsin Superior, where he earned his Master of Arts degree at 60 years old -- which he achieved with A’s. He then went on to teach drawing and painting at Lake Superior College, from which he retired in 2013.

During high school and in early college days, Lee was a first-chair trumpeter. As a teen, he played trumpet with the Take Five Band, along with his good friend Jim Westman. Later, while teaching, Lee picked up his trumpet once again, starting with the Duluth Community Band. Then, with the Union Band he played summer sessions at Glensheen on the lawn under the direction of his first band director, Bud Schultz. Lee played with smaller groups, too, such as the Windjammers, and with Kwesi Curry at the Blue Note Cafe in Canal Park. He
loved to improvise, and especially enjoyed jazz. In later years, he played his trumpet with a small group at the home of dear friends. Music always lifted his soul. Now he is sounding his trumpet and painting the heavens.

Lee's plein-air painting, which he is best known for, went hand in hand with his love of nature and being outdoors. He taught plein air workshops, and participated in plein air competitions for many years. He appreciated his opportunities to travel around the United States, Canada, Italy, Spain and Sweden to paint their various landscapes. Lee's work has been seen in many regional, national, and international shows, and hangs in private and public locations across the world. He has been affiliated with the Duluth Art Institute,
Outdoor Painters of Minnesota, Grand Marais Art Colony, Santa Rita Art League, Oil Painters of America, American Impressionist Society, and with a group of seven in a studio on Bob Dylan Way in Duluth. Lee enjoyed painting with oils in studio and outdoors in all seasons! Every opportunity to get out in nature gave Lee memorable moments to enjoy his passion.

Lee was an adventurer. He got pleasure from three years of skydiving with Superior Skydivers in the early 80’s. He reveled in the “rush” (as he would say) from those experiences. He then met Rosie at their class reunion, and they were married one year later. Soon after he gave up skydiving, maybe realizing it too risky. Lee enjoyed spending time camping at the Temperance River campsites, and beyond, walking in the woods, hiking in the mountains, running 5K’s, biking, skiing, fishing, hunting, splitting wood at his shack in Ault, and sitting around a fire with friends and family. In retirement years he loved the blue skies and sunshine in Green Valley, Arizona. He lived life to the fullest and treasured every minute of it.

Lee was preceded in death by his parents, Bud and Phyllis, his sister Barbara Nelson, and his first wife Edie Glass Englund. Lee is survived by his wife Rose (Trifilette) of 40 years, daughter Nichole Marie Englund, sisters LaVonne (Fred) See, JoAnn (Mike) Lundstrom, brothers Bob (Sherry) Englund, Bill (Diane) Englund, sisters-in-law Carol Botten, Sally (Ralph) Augustin, Ann (Rick) Kucinski, brother-in- law Michael (Juanita) Trifilette, and many nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, and an extended family of dear friends.

A special note of thanks to all who participated in Lee's care during his four and a half years of Alzheimer’s disease, which includes doctors, nurses, and aides at Essentia, Ecumen Lakeshore Rehab Center, and St. Croix Hospice Care, who cared for him in his home with compassion and love. You are truly angels on this earth!

A Celebration of Life well lived is planned for Saturday, May 17, 2025 at the Cremation Society of Minnesota, at 4100 Grand Ave., Duluth. Visitation is at 2:00 pm., with a Service at 3:00 pm.

If desired, memorials may be made in Lee's memory to St. Croix Hospice Foundation, Alzheimer's Association, Bright Focus Foundation, Prader-Willi Syndrome Association, Greater Denfeld Scholarship Award Fund, Duluth Art Institute, or Second Harvest Northland Food Bank.

St. Croix Hospice
1725A Maple Grove Road Duluth, MN 55811

Alzheimer's Association
225 N Michigan Avenue 17th Floor Chicago, IL 60601-7633

Bright Focus Foundation Alzheimer's Disease Research 22512 Gateway Center
Drive Clarksburg, MD 20871

Prader-Willi Syndrome Association 1032 E Brandon Blvd #4744 Brandon, FL
33511

Greater Denfeld Scholarship Award Fund 401 N 44th Ave West
Duluth, MN 55807

Duluth Art Institute
130 W Superior Street Suite 400 Duluth, MN 55802

Second Harvest Northland Food Bank 2302 Commonwealth Avenue
Duluth, MN 55808