Funeral services were held at Our Savior's Lutheran Church, McHenry, at 2 p.m. Wednesday for John Aarestad, 74, McHenry merchant, who died Friday, January 31, at 7 p.m. in the hospital at New Rockford, where he had been a patient several weeks.
The service was in charge of the Rev. a. O. Borlaug. Music was supplied by a quartet, Mrs. Sherman Lillethun, Mrs. Richard Lowe, Mrs. Alfred Anderson, and Mrs. Clayton Christianson; a duet, George and David Vigesaa; and Mrs. Edmund Pewe was organist. Named as active casket bearers were John Hov, Anton Johanns, Norvin Black, John Edland, Lannes Ellingson and Fritz Helland. Honorary bearers were Peter Jacobson, G. C. Black, Math Haven, Knudt Tvedt, Arthur Midgley, Omund Soma, Charles Pewe, Gunder Ellingson, Claus Otto and Gaylord Blahna.
Military rites at the McHenry Cemetery were in charge of the American Legion Post of McHenry.
Mr. Aarestad was well known as an outdoors man and antique collector and he was also prominent in public service, having been a charter member of the Foster County Welfare Board and having service in that capacity for 27 years.
Born in a sod house on his parents homestead in Bald Hill Township, Griggs County, near Cooperstown, November 25, 1889, the year of statehood, he was a son of Endre and Anna Aarestad, who came from Stavanger, Norway. He was one of seven sons of the couple.
As he grew to manhood, Mr. Aarestad spent much of his time hunting and trapping and was an active sportsman all of his life. He hunted big game in the states and in Canada and Alaska, and brought home numerous trophies. Many of these he put on exhibit in a museum he established at his home at McHenry.
As a collector, he took great pride in his antiques, including old buggies, sleighs, farm implements, threshing machines, and steam engines, most of which he housed in a Quonset building on his property at McHenry.
He started in business for himself at the age of 17, butchering on his father's farm and driving about selling meat to farmers and threshers. He later bought land in Foster County and farmed for a while.
In 1918 he was inducted into the army and served several months overseas. He was an active member of the American Legion and served as the commander for several years.
On July 20, 1922, he was married at McHenry to Marie Torrison. To them, four sons were born, one of whom, Wesley, did at the age of 4. Mr. Aarestad bought a meat market in McHenry in 1922 and later added a stock of groceries. He also continued his farming interests. In 1955 he retired from business, turning the store operation over to his son, John Jr. Aside from his welfare board duties, he served on the town board at McHenry. He was a member of the State Historical Society, and took keen interest in old trails and encampments of whites and Indians.
He built his museum in 1960, and therein he stored his old relics, such as game trophies, Indian items, old guns, and many other antiques, some 600 years old. In 1963 he purchased a one-room country school house, which he moved to McHenry and restored it to its original condition. He often said people of the present generation won't appreciate this school house as much as will coming generations.
Although he was not born in Norway, he was interested in his parents' native country. He visited Norway, spending much of the visit in the area where his parents had lived, in 1960.
He is survived by his wife, McHenry, three sons, Elton, Palmer, Alaska; Burton, Fairbanks, Alaska; and John Jr., McHenry; 3 grandchildren in Alaska; four brothers, Torkel, Jamestown; Elmer, Aneta; Casper, Cooperstown and Hans, Salmon Arm, B.C. His parents and brothers Steven and Ingvald preceded him in death.
Published in the Griggs County Sentinel-Courier, Cooperstown, North Dakota, February 5, 1964.