Lee Tietjen, age 60, of Brookings, passed away at his home on Tuesday, July 31, 2012, of an apparent heart attack. Funeral services will be 10:00 A.M. Saturday, August 4, 2012, at Morningside Community Church in Brookings, with interment in Greenwood Cemetery. Visitations will be from 5-8 P.M. Friday at Eidsness Funeral Home in Brookings. Lee A. Tietjen was born February 14, 1952, in Wilmot, South Dakota, to Elmer and Sylvia (Green) Tietjen. Growing up, he worked on his uncles' farms and bought his first few head of cattle while he was still in high school, establishing his lifelong love for farming. Lee attended school in Wilmot and graduated in 1971. After graduation, he enlisted in the National Guard, and after his discharge he began to farm outside of Peever, South Dakota. He married Nancy Vosberg on May 28, 1976, in Wilmot, and they had three children. In 1981 Lee moved to the Brookings area with his three children and worked for Lakeside Dairy. In 1983 he joined his brother-in-law at Midstates Flooring in Brookings, where he was still employed at the time of his death. On August 9, 2008, he married LouAnn Solem at Lake Campbell Lutheran Church. Lee was a loving and kind person who was a magnet for kids and animals. He was always quick with a joke and loved his coffee time with the guys. He collected antique tractors and loved going to tractor shows; he was particularly fond of John Deere tractors. He enjoyed living at Lake Campbell and spending time with his family and many friends, and he loved his nearby hobby farm with his sheep, horses, and tractors. Lee was a member of Morningside Church. Lee was loved by everyone that met him, and he will be greatly missed by his family and friends. He is survived by his wife, LouAnn; two daughters: Cheryl (Jose) Santiago of Hodgenville, Kentucky, and Linda Tietjen of Brookings; one son, Eric (Naomi) Tietjen of Brookings; a step-daughter, Kristine Jensen, of Eugene, Oregon; two step-sons: Robert (Natalie) Jensen and Michael (Joy) Jensen of Brookings; twelve grandchildren; one great-grandchild; three sisters: Ione (Ken) Swedlund of Brookings, Judy Brotzel of Milbank, South Dakota, and Arlys (Ed) Kraft of Sun City West, Arizona; three brothers: Dennis Tietjen of Longeville, Minnesota, Ronnie Tietjen of Spearfish, South Dakota, and Doug Tietjen of Corona, South Dakota; a sister-in-law, Nancy (Kelly) Kammerer of Provence, France; a brother-in-law, Tom Davis, of Brookings; and many nieces and nephews.