Gordon E. Lee , a leading Pope County family practitioner and mentor to many young physicians for more than 40 years, died on Tuesday, May 18, at the Glacial Ridge Hospital in Glenwood. He was 85.

Dr. Lee, who began his practice here in 1953, spent his entire professional life serving the Glenwood area, a community he loved. He retired in 1997.

The son of a physician, Dr. William Andrew Lee, and a gifted musician, Lucy Moses Lee, Dr. Lee was born June 29, 1924 in Fergus Falls, Minn. and after graduating from high school he began his pre-medicine course of study at Hamline University in St. Paul until WWII interrupted his education. He served as a pilot in the Naval Air Force for three and a half years. After the war he returned to Hamline and graduated in 1948. He then went to medical school at the University of Minnesota and graduated in 1952. He married Amy Strom in 1951 and interned in Milwaukee before coming to Glenwood with his friend and classmate, Robert D. Letzen. The two joined the medical practice of Dr. E.M. Elsey. Dr. Elsey died barely two months after Drs. Lee and Letson arrived so the two

were on their own with the doctors in the city's other clinic, Dr. Paul Swedenberg and Dr. Roy Good, in providing services to what was then the Glenwood Hospital.

In 1966 Dr. Letson left for the Twin Cities and Dr. Charles Benjamin came.

Dr. Lee remained in Glenwood for his entire career and retired in 1997.

For many years in the 1970s, Dr. Lee was the lone doctor for the Glenwood Hospital and was the "family doctor" for many Glenwood area residents.

"He single-handedly kept the Glenwood Hospital open, said long-time Glenwood pharmacist Jim Stradtman. "Had he not stayed and remained on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, our hospital would have closed," Stradtman added.

In the early 1970s both Dr. Benjamin and Dr. Bert Kolp, who had worked with Drs. Swendenberg and Good, left, leaving Dr. Lee the sole provider to the hospital. About the same time a new medical clinic was added to the hospital to make it easier to attract new doctors. And in the mid-1970s the hospital converted from a city-owned to a district-owned facility with the formation of the Glacial Ridge Hospital District, which represents most of the townships and cities in the eastern half of Pope County and Brooten and some surrounding territory in Stearns County. For part of the mid 1970s, Dr. Lee received assistance from Dr. James Reinhardt but illness sidelined Dr. Reinhardt leaving Dr. Lee again alone as the hospital's sole doctor.

In 1978 Drs. Brad Refsland and Steve Shelver came to Glenwood but they left in 1981. Dr. Jeffrey Schlueter arrived in December of 1981 and Dr. Roderick Brown in 1984 and Dr. Lee had co-workers up through his retirement in 1997.

A couple of times over the years Dr. Lee was recognized for his service to the community.

Once was in 1974 when a special dinner was held in his honor at the Minnewaska House. The dinner attracted over 220 people.

In April, 1988 another dinner was held to honor Dr. Lee, this one at the Lakeside Ballroom. At this event he was handed the keys to a special, drivable replica of an early 50s MG two-seat sports car. The vehicle was put together by people in the community with help of Gloege Chevrolet. It was red with a convertible top built on a Chevrolet Chevette chassis.

In addition to his medical work he was also elected to the Glenwood School Board in 1960 and served in many other community organizations as well.