Lee C. Lykken

Lee Curtis Lykken, 88, of Auburn, North Dakota, passed away Saturday, April 13, 2024, at Unity Hospital in Grafton after a brief hospitalization.

Born to Harry and Hazel (Ottoson) Lykken on November 20, 1935, at the Deaconess Hospital in Grafton, his roots run deep in the local community.

Lee grew up on a family farm and was always interested in how things worked. This interest led him from Auburn School through Grafton High School to the University of North Dakota. He turned his early fascination with engines and vehicles into a deeper study, earning his bachelor's and master's degrees in Mechanical Engineering (1961).

After university, Lee's career began at General Dynamics in California, but his path took a turn when he enlisted the U.S. Army in 1965. Serving as a master sergeant in the 4th Infantry Division during the Vietnam War, earning several commendations, including a Purple Heart.  Lee returned to Grafton at the request of his father, Harry, where he took over the family business, Lykken Farms. He worked initially alongside his father and longtime farm partners, Leslie, Virginia, and Douglas Anderson. Later, Micheal and Penny joined Lee, and together, they navigated the challenges and rewards of farm life. Despite battling physical ailments, Lee was actively involved in farm decisions until his final days, approving this year's planting plans just last week.

Under Lee's leadership, Lykken Farms evolved with the times. He was not only a steward of the land but also of his grandfather's legacy. Hans H. Lykken, a Norwegian immigrant, had started farming the land in 1882. Lee embraced new technologies, from computerized management systems to GPS-guided machinery, ensuring the farm kept pace with modern agricultural practices. His forward-thinking approach and adaptability were instrumental in the farm's continued success.

Yet Lee was a man of simple ways. He kept to a routine, was fair and honest, and believed strongly in people's potential. His operating spaces included the farm office, shop, and pickup. Until recent years, Lee's pickup could be spotted circling fields, checking on crops, and placing field markers.

Lee was a "numbers man."   If anyone wanted to know the truth of a yield, they asked Lee. He was a meticulous record keeper and weather tracker. He analyzed farm statistics by using elaborate computer spreadsheets and formulas.    Lee was also an official weather reporter for Walsh County, keeping track of rainfall to 1/100th of an inch. He liked precision. The family remembers the DTN  weather scanner that operated in the office for years until it sadly became obsolete.

Lee had various interests outside farming. As a teen, Lee built elaborate go-carts and ran them in the farmyard. He engineered the chassis with a fully independent suspension system for one particular model. He liked cars and appreciated powerful engines. His first car was a black Corvette. Lee also enjoyed reading nonfiction, particularly about history and technology. Always keen to stay informed, Lee read the Kiplinger Letter and the Wall Street Journal regularly, which kept him connected to the broader world of economics and politics.

Lee's life was one of dedication—to his country, his farm, and his community. His legacy is reflected in the fields of Lykken Farms and in the lives of those who worked with him and learned from him. As the farm moves forward, his influence remains a guiding force.  He leaves behind not just a farm but a testament to a well-lived life—a life of duty, innovation, and unwavering dedication to the soil that had nurtured him and so many others.

Lee is survived by Michael and Penny Reading, who have been actively involved in the farm operation for many years. They were Lee's family, along with his other nieces and nephews, Daniel Reading, Patty (Reading) Cresalia, Stephanie (Reading) Wallace, Roger, and Emily (Reading) Barrell and their children.  His parents, his sister JoyAnn Lykken Reading, and his brother-in-law George R. Reading preceded him in death.

A time of sharing will be Friday, April 19, 2024 at 2:30 P.M. at the Tollefson Funeral Home of Grafton.  Visitation will be at the funeral home on Friday from 1:30 – 2:30 P.M.  Interment will be at the Landstad Cemetery, Auburn, North Dakota.  Military rites will be provided by the Grafton American Legion Post #41.  In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Landstad Cemetery.