Lee Richard Bonn

Lee's Celebration of Life will be livestreamed here: https://vimeo.com/event/3857574

Lee's Prayer Service can be viewed here: https://vimeo.com/883445770

His tribute video may be viewed here: https://www.tributeslides.com/tributes/show/78TN4Z5T7YHSY3HG

Lee Richard Bonn (58), loving husband, father, papa, son, brother, and uncle; passed unexpectedly at his home in Fargo, ND on November 3, 2023.

Lee was born on March 2, 1965, in Rolette, ND to Richard and Carol (Stewart) Bonn. Lee and his three siblings Allen (Lorrie) Bonn, James Bonn, and Katherine (Jason) Ayres grew up in Bisbee, ND. After graduating from high school Lee attended UND-Williston where he earned his associate degree in Agribusiness. Lee then attended NDSU earning a bachelor's degree in Agricultural Extension with additional master's level classes in Agricultural Economics. Agriculture would remain an area Lee was passionate about for his entire career.

Lee met the love of his life Janet (Vosburg) Bonn while attending NDSU, and they were married on June 13, 1987, in Bisbee, ND. Lee and Janet started their lives together living in married student housing. After graduation they moved to Rochester, MN where they welcomed two boys, Blake and Brennan. Soon after, Lee and Janet moved to Watertown, SD where they welcomed their daughter, Madison, his Puddin'. Lee was a very hands-on father and lived for his family. In 2002, Lee and Janet brought their children back to Fargo, ND, to be closer to family.

Lee worked several jobs starting in high school through his college days that included working for area farmers, a car rental agency, the western ND oil fields, NDSU flax research plots, the Moorhead, MN school district driving school bus and an area grain elevator. After college, he worked for Greenway Co-op and R&D Spray & Grain Systems in Grand Meadow, MN. He started work as an agricultural sales representative for DMC in Watertown, SD, and after moving to Fargo, ND he joined Westeel, then The GSI Group, then Sioux Steel and returned to The GSI Group where he was currently working as Senior Product Specialist. He was a very valuable resource for them with the knowledge he accumulated over the years. Lee enjoyed building relationships and turning clients into his friends and family. He consulted on projects in various areas of the United States and Canada while focusing in areas closer to home to be available for his family when needed. Even with all his travel for work, he was only ever a phone call away.

Lee loved working with his hands, being raised to fix things when they broke; a value he learned from his father and passed onto his children. He was the first call for lots of family, friends, and neighbors when help was needed. His favorite projects included working with his boys to remodel their homes, fixing up his dad's John Deere 820 tractor, and helping his nieces with home projects. If something needed to be done, Lee got it done, often in his humble, behind the scenes manner. Lee loved his community and put a skating rink on their empty lot for the neighborhood kids to enjoy. After he built his home there, he worked to put up skating rinks for several other friends. His neighbors were a special group of friends, and he often would be up all night plowing out driveways in blizzards and helping everyone with his expertise in sprinkler systems.

Lee was an excellent craftsman, gardener, cook, and lefse maker. He loved camping and hunting with his family and traveling the world with Janet. His happy place was having his family gathered in his home for meals or activities. His pride and joy were his two granddaughters, Hadley and Ellis. Papa Lee often pulled the girls out of daycare for "Papa Days", which always included lots of giggles and snuggles. His girls will grow up knowing how much their papa loved them. Lee put his family first over everything, a value that he instilled in his children. Lee never missed the opportunity to cheer on his kids through any of their activities, he was their number one fan. The recent moments his smile shone brightest included his sons' weddings, the births of his granddaughters, and his daughter's doctoral graduation.

Lee is survived by his wife Janet Bonn, Fargo, ND; his children, Blake (Emily) Bonn, West Fargo, ND, Brennan (Erin) Bonn, Fargo, ND and Madison Bonn, Billings, MT; his granddaughters, Hadley Bonn West Fargo, ND and Ellis Bonn, Fargo, ND; his mother, Carol Bonn, Devils Lake, ND; His siblings Allen (Lorrie) Bonn of Devils Lake, ND, and Katherine (Jason) Ayres of Newton, NJ; two special nieces Kathryn Payne, Fargo, ND and Rebecca (Ramon) Perez, Fargo ND; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his father, Richard Bonn, his parents-in-law Vernon and Pearlene Vosburg, and his brother James Bonn.

In Lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be directed towards The Jeremiah Program, to honor Lee's love of children.