David S Van Tassel

Posted on: Aug 13, 2023 at 4:33 AM

I was saddened to learn, belatedly, of Lee's death.  We were great friends in our late teens, before we moved apart.  Among our adventures, we motorcycled much of Minnesota, delved deeply into our intellectual interests of the time (jazz, art, Zen), and, most memorably, we hitchhiked to California.  In 1965, we started out standing on U. S. 212 to head for the world of The Beach Boys.  With many memorable events along the way, we made it to Huntington Beach in 4 days, where we took up the surfing life for a month or so before returning (by bus) to Minnesota and our futures.  Lee was a delightful co-traveler and a good friend and I’m sorry to have lost track of him for so many years.  We think of him whenever we pass by the arresting sculpture he gave Nancy and me for our wedding.   

Posted on: Jul 28, 2014 at 7:46 PM

Hey Lee, I'm happy to see your art took you far. I still have an early piece that you gave Nancy and me as a wedding present. I was thinking of you the other day when discussing the music from "The Wild One." You had the album, which we would listen to in your basement after riding bikes. And don't forget our hitchhike to Huntington Beach. Dave