Joan Lou Lee

Joan Lou (Rapp) Lee passed away on Thursday, February 13th, 2025, at CentraCare Hospital in Long Prairie, at the age of 88. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, February 21st, 2025, at First Baptist Church in Long Prairie. The visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be at Evergreen Cemetery in Long Prairie.
Joan was welcomed into this world on December 27th, 1936, by her parents, Edmond “Shorty’ Rapp and Lillian (Perkins) Rapp; the best Christmas “present” they could have ever asked for. Joan lost her mom at the young age of 3 years old and was raised by her dad and step-mom, Mary, in Long Prairie, MN. After graduating from Long Prairie High School, Joan attended business school in Minneapolis, MN and began working as a receptionist at Pioneer Rim and Wheel. While visiting home, Joan reconnected with a friend she grew up with, Roy Lee, and they were married on September 24th, 1960.
The couple started their life together at Roy’s family’s farm in Reynolds Township outside of Long Prairie. They made their way into the town of Long Prairie where they were blessed with 3 children, Sandra, Ross, and Mark. When Roy’s dad passed away, the family returned to the homestead farm. Her children lovingly remember Joan baking hundreds and hundreds of Christmas cookies that they helped their mom deliver and sample of course. She was known to be a great cook and baker with her specialties being caramel rolls and rice crispy bars.
Joan was a devoted farmwife and mother and was never one to complain. She shared her love and patience with her children and with the children at the First Baptist Church nursery where she worked for over 20 years. Joan could often be found outside with Roy taking care of their huge gardens, orchards, and raspberry patches. Never expecting any recognition, things around the home just “got done” while she was around.
Joan was Roy’s selfless caretaker for 15 years while he had Parkinson’s Disease until his passing in 2014. She always put her family first and had a deep love for her grandkids. Joan was quiet, giving, and wasn’t one to make a big deal about anything.
Joan is survived by her children, Sandra (Todd von Ruden) Lee, Ross (Heather) Lee, and Mark (Barbara) Lee; grandchildren, Ryan (Bianca Krasnic) Lee, Jesse LeGrand, Taylor (Hayden) Lee, and Mackenzie (Brandon) Hagstrom; great-grandchildren, Remi, William, Alice, Torbi, Ivor, and a baby on the way; and sister, Jeanie Kuiper.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Roy Lee; parents, Shorty and Lillian Rapp; step-mother, Mary Rapp; granddaughter, Stacy Lee; brothers, Kenneth, Dale, and Robert Rapp; and sister, Lyla Clavin.