In Memory of Lee Norling

Lee Roy Norling, beloved husband, dad, grandpa, son, brother and friend, passed away on Wednesday, March 18, 2026 after a long battle with COPD. Funeral services will be held at 6:00 P.M. Wednesday, March 25th at Strike Life Tributes in Isanti. A visitation will be held from 4:00 P.M. until the service Wednesday. Private interment will be in Fish Lake Cemetery in Mora.

Lee was born to Griffith Norling and Lorraine (Hanson) Norling in Mora, Minnesota on June 22, 1953. He graduated from Mora High School in 1972. After graduation he continued working at Glen’s Tire in Mora. He started working construction with Swanson Homes in the Fall of 1972 and joined the Carpenter’s Union in 1974. He then joined with a friend and started his own construction company named L&R Builders in 1981. Later down the road he joined Safety Speed Cut Manufacturing where he assembled vertical panel saws and was in charge of shipping and receiving. He worked for Safety Speed Cut for 27 years and then retired in 2019.

He married his wife Toni (Engstrom) of 52 years August. 25, 1973. They moved to the cities to start their family and so Lee could be closer to work. They were foster parents to several children from 1976-1991.

Lee played football growing up. Both in middle school and high school. He loved to play softball and played several years though the church league, he enjoyed hunting with his brothers and nephews, bowling on both a men’s league and a couples league. He was a great softball coach for his daughters’ teams growing up. He enjoyed meeting with his buddies for coffee every morning before work and also loved to see his friends in the evening for a cold one.

He is survived by his loving wife, Tonetta (Toni); his daughters, Terri (Cory) Kueber and Janele (Izaak) Rono; his grandkids, Ryan (Alicia) Kueber, Keith (CarolAnn) Kueber, Katrina (Spencer) Mugrdechian, Trent, Faith, Kennedy, Colten, Kaylea and Crosby; great grandkids, Holden and Garrett; sister, Gloria Rittenour; brother, John Norling; brother, Dick (Joann) Norling; sister, Janie (Wes) Peterman; many nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews. He is preceded death by his parents, Griffith and Lorraine Norling; his in-laws, Marvin and Gladys Engstrom; his brothers, Gene (Karen) Norling, Gary (Shirley) Norling, Randy Norling; sisters, Sharon (Bud) McIntosh, Judy Simon; and son, Lee Norling Jr.