Arthur 'Art' Edward Leen Jr.

Arthur “Art” Edward Leen Jr. passed away on March 10, 2009, after a hard-fought battle with cancer.

Born in Lakota, N.D., in 1932 to Arthur Sever Leen and Agnes Rendklev Leen, Art lived with his family in North Dakota, Minnesota, California, and Idaho before going to live with his father in Alaska in the late 1940s. Shortly after returning to Sandpoint, Idaho, he met and, on Feb. 10, 1951, married his high school sweetheart, Patricia “Patty” Rosenboom.

In the early years of their marriage, Art worked at a number of different jobs, including as a laborer, mill worker, and logger. He also pitched for the Pack River Sawmill softball team. After receiving a technical degree at  North  Idaho Junior College, Art began his career with the Forest Service in 1963. During his tenure as a civil engineer, he worked at the Priest Lake, Falls, and Newport ranger stations, before transferring to work in Colville, Wash. He retired from working in the Regional Forest Supervisor’s office in 1993.

Before he retired, Art and his wife Patty moved to Chewelah, Wash., where they happily continued golfing with many friends at Chewelah Golf and Country Club. For a few years, he volunteered to assist softball and golf coaches at Jenkins High School and enjoyed it immensely. Art also enjoyed fishing, hunting, and spending winters in Arizona.

Whether instructing softball or golf, Art was the consummate teacher, and a natural leader. He left a unique impression on everyone he met. He always had a helping hand or a joke ready, and he was often the first and last one on the dance floor. Art had a love for life that seemed to defy his age. Even near the end and despite his illness, the irreverent twinkle in his eye was unmistakable. Art died just as he had lived:  bolstered by the love of his family and his strong faith in the Lord.

Art was preceded in death by his mother, father, his wife, Patricia; a brother, Glen; and granddaughter, Summer.

Art is survived by his daughters, Victoria Hernvall of Spokane and Kathy Rotmark (husband Stan) of Colville; a son, Neal (wife Trudy) of Priest River; “lady friend” Rosalyn Rasching; his brothers, Don, Lyle, Kenney, and Roy; his sisters, Ina Loman, Ruth Hirst and Vonnie Short; and his grandchildren, Ande Hernvall, Bethany Hernvall, Shawnda Hoops, Misti Murphy, Tenneall Madsen and Amy Ostermayr.

His family would like to extend a special thanks to the Hospice House of Spokane for their loving care and generosity during Art’s final days.

A celebration of his life and salvation will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 21, 2009, at  St. Paul  Lutheran Church in Chewelah.

Donations made in the name of Art Leen will be used to create a memorial golf scholarship in his honor.