Bradley George Lehmkuhl

Celebration of Life Service for Brad will be held 2 PM on Saturday, October 3, 2020 at the Sebeka Public School Football Field with visitation one hour prior to the service. February 16, 1957, Bradley George Lehmkuhl was born with impish eyes and a contagious smile to Wilbert and Phyllis (Eitel) Lehmkuhl in Wadena, MN. If you knew his dad, Willie, you knew where he got those features. He was enthusiastically welcomed home by his favorite sister, Barb. Theirs was a unique sibling relationship – she was practically like another mother to him. Throughout his life, Brad seamlessly molded Barb into believing he was perfect and could do no wrong. He was simply adored by his family. Brad passed away on May 7, 2020, unexpectedly and peacefully at the place he loved best. Home. Brad was indeed a precocious child who kept his family on their toes. He was not easy on his mother and she was often heard saying, “Oh my stars, Bradley…” His elementary school years were lively. You can appreciate when in fourth grade, he had to do some distance learning. By that, I mean he had to go to school at the city hall. While there, he was able to build a small-scale birch bark canoe of which he was very proud. Brad was a forgiving guy, but he never got over the fact that another student started it on fire with a magnifying glass and sunlight. Scarred him for life! Things didn’t change much as Brad entered his teen years. There’s a story that Brad told about his sister’s car that he, and a couple of friends borrowed, a ditch and an approach, dragging down main street on Friday night after a football game, and truths not quite told to the local law enforcement. You can about imagine and fill in the blanks. Great stories happen to those that can tell them. That was especially true for Brad. Brad gratefully graduated from Sebeka High School with a close-knit group of school mates in 1975, and soon after was married to Grace Corbin and was blessed with a son, Travis (TJ), all while dairy farming and raising beef cattle with his dad on the family farm. In 1991, Brad maneuvered one of the smartest moves he ever made – he married his perfect match, Colleen. Shortly after, Brad was told by Colleen to “cut his hair and get a real job” – so he did at Anderson Homes. His mother, Phyllis, was so proud! She memorialized it by taking a priceless photo. Years later, Brad’s nephew had to bring something unique to his classroom for show and tell, so Isaac brought his Uncle Brad. Something amazing happened there and that’s where he was introduced to what would become another one of his loves – the kids at Sebeka School! He famously became a key jangler/custodial engineer (his words!) at the Sebeka Public School. Brad had, and did, his best work in that school – cleaning classrooms along with counseling kids, sweeping floors while saturating young lives with laughter, a dose of wisdom, a high five or a hug; and of course, a life-saver or a mint. Some of Brad’s favorite things were Bone-in Hot Wings, pistachios, and a good and spicy Bloody Caesar. He was a lifelong fisherman and he’d maybe let you go along as long as you didn’t talk too much (ahem, Barb and Colleen!) He excelled at fishing and was an avid proponent of procrastifishing – the art of going fishing when you should be doing something else! His red Ford truck (with the Lump II plates! Really? There’s a Lump I?!) could drive itself, AC/DC or KISS tunes cranked, to Little Pine Lake. This was the way he preferred to unwind from life for a bit. Above all, he reveled in the time fishing with his grandsons and was anticipating a long future of fishing with them. Walking past anything for free was not something Brad would ever do. Why take one pen when you can take two? He was a collector of pens, fishing lures, fishing rods, and friends. He might not always remember your name, but it didn’t matter. You were still his friend. He remembered you. It’s been said that attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity. Brad was like that. He made you feel like you were something of value, that you had merit. He paid attention. You had to be careful what you asked for around Brad. “I need some eggs.” He would appear at your doorstep with them. “We should do a fish fry for a fund raiser.” Viola! It was a done deal. “Giver” doesn’t even begin to describe the generous heart he possessed. Humor was one of Brad’s greatest character strengths. He always seemed to know the right thing to say. Even if it was nothing. Even if it was absolutely inappropriate. Which it often was. Alas, he liked his secrets too. Mostly, he liked to try to keep Colleen in the dark about what he was eating! Brad epitomized the fact that some of the best moments in life are the ones you don’t tell anyone about. I know he never told anyone about how he’d give money so it could be passed onto someone in need. I know he never told you how he worked tirelessly (and almost always without getting anything in return) making sure things were just right for your fund raiser, party, project, or event. It wasn’t for the glory or the fame. It was just who he was. He was beautiful like that. His regrets in life were few – except when he would drive to the hardware store three times a day (why would you look for your tape measure when you can just buy another one!), the way he said “a tall” instead of “at all” and, most recently, eating at a “not local” all you can eat Chinese Buffet. Most of all, Brad loved his family. He is survived by his beautiful, but often exasperated, wife Colleen, his extraordinary son, TJ and his wife, Trish, who was the “daughter of his heart” along with the exceptional boys who made him a “Papa” – Jacob, Mark and Tanner, as well as his devoted sister, Barb. He is also survived by Marilou (Bill) Heltemes, Jan (Mike) Buchholz, Cheri (Dean) Endres, Patti (Brian) Hillesland, Pam (Joel) Schwartz, Lori (Jon) Matti, Shelly (Jarvis) Hieb, Joe (Kristine) Tellers, Bill Wegscheid and Doug Flicek; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Brad was preceded in death by his parents, Wilbert and Phyllis Lehmkuhl, sister in law, Cindy Flicek, and niece, Amanda Buchholz. Brad’s roots were deep here. He was loyal to local. He loved Sebeka and those of us who lived in or near here. He was heavily involved with Meals on Wheels, Sebeka Youth Fishing Club, Sebeka Pageant Fundraisers, and the Red Eye Township Board. He was partially involved in too many other organizations to name them all. He was a member of Grace Lutheran Church. Brad wore many hats and had many names. Those of us fortunate enough to have known him have a “B-Rad, Lump, Mr. Brad, Bump, Brat-ley, Braddy, Wilbur, Big Brad, Herman, Willy’s boy, Papa, Brad” named hole in our hearts. A private family service will be held. A public celebration of Brad’s incredible life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, Brad’s family would appreciate donations made to the Sebeka Youth Fishing Club, Sebeka Back Pack Food Program, or a yet to be determined scholarship program in Brad’s name. Donations can be marked and sent to Sebeka Public School. Honor Brad by honoring his legacy. He had character, a moral code, genuine kindness, authenticity, along with a healthy dose of humor. He didn’t necessarily leave something for us, but something in us. He will be deeply and truly missed.