Joel Harlan Aarhus

PRINCETON — Joel H. Aarhus, 64, of Princeton, died Sunday at the Elim Care and Rehab Center in Princeton. The service will be at 11 a.m. Friday at New Life Church in Princeton. Burial will be in Oak Knoll Cemetery in Princeton. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home in Princeton and for one hour before the service Friday at the church. Joel was born Sept. 11, 1946, at Montevideo, son of Joseph and Iona (Erickson) Aarhus. He grew up on a farm in Swift County, near Danvers. He attended country school in District 2234 through the eighth grade and graduated from Appleton High School. He worked at Tyler's Manufacturing in Benson and then in Minneapolis where he drove truck for Super Valu. He joined the Army National Guard. Joel was united in marriage with Barbara Scott on June 10, 1972, in Dow City, Iowa. They lived in Dow City for a few years and Joel began his career as an over-the-road truck driver. He also worked a small farm near Dow City. They moved to Alexandria, where they lived for a few years. Joel lived in Elk River and continued driving truck. He was united in marriage with Ardis Norton on May 31, 1986, in Anoka. They made their home in St. Francis, where they had a antique furniture and refinishing business for a short time. They moved to Cedar and later to Blaine. Joel and Ardis moved to Princeton in 2003, and he began driving truck for Medtronic in September of 2004. He worked for Quicksilver Express Courier Service when Medtronic contracted out their trucking services. He is survived by his wife, two sons, two stepdaughters, a grandchild, a sister, a niece, a nephew, and two grandnephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Iona Aarhus; and an infant sister, Marilyn.