Richard A. Lee, age 62, of Sutherland, Nebraska passed away on September 27, 2025 in North Platte, Nebraska after a battle with acute myeloid leukemia.
Rich was born on August 7, 1963 in Chadron, Nebraska to Robert E. Lee and Ruth (Erickson) Lee, and was raised in Holdrege, Nebraska where he graduated with the Class of 1981. Rich attended UNL, where he worked in the Husker football training room. He later graduated from University of Nebraska at Kearney, where he was on the athletic training team for the Loper Basketball team.
Throughout his life, he held a variety of jobs including farming for LaMont England, working in home construction for Rod Melroy Construction, selling insurance for Shelter Insurance, selling educational technologies for Haddock, and mowing (quite possibly his favorite pastime) for the Village of Sutherland. But his true calling, and most fulfilling vocation was as a secondary school business teacher and coach. Rich touched the lives of students at Lenora, Kansas and Ogallala & Wallace, Nebraska. Always and forever "Coach Lee," he coached Junior High and Girls Basketball, Golf, Track, and his beloved Football at those schools, as well as Sutherland. He also coached youth softball and baseball in Holdrege and Sutherland. He was also an avid hunter.
Rich was married to Jo (Haugland) Lee and raised his sons, James and Austin, on the Haugland Ranch at Sutherland in a hundred year old farmhouse that he and his wife restored. His sons were his pride and joy, and he admired their work ethic and their love for Jesus.
Besides his wife and children, Rich is remembered and missed by his mother; two brothers, Robert (Kelley) Lee of Lamars, Iowa and Rodney (Sara) Lee of Central City, Nebraska; parents-in-law Jim and Donna Haugland; brothers-in-law, Bruce White of Sutherland, Nebraska, Chris (Liz) Skov of Hershey, Nebraska, and Scott (Lisa) Skov of Sidney, Nebraska; sisters-in-law Sandi (Chris) O'Connell of Omaha, Nebraska and Cari (Johnathan) Jay of Castle Rock, Colorado; along with many nieces and nephews and countless friends.
He was preceded in death by his father; mother-in-law, Jan Haugland; sister-in-law, Jill Haugland White; and a beloved former student, Garrett Schlichtemier.
Visitation and viewing will be held on Friday, October 3, 2025 from three to five p.m. at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home in North Platte, Nebraska, which has been entrusted with arrangements.
Memorial Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 4, 2025 at Grace Lutheran Church in Sutherland, Nebraska with Pastor Teresa Moreland officiating. Inurnment will follow at Sutherland Riverview Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the church or to the Sutherland FFA Alumni for the Beef-in-the-Schools program.