Thelma Aarestad

Thelma Aarestad, 86, Jamestown, North Dakota died Wednesday, April 18, 2012 at Eventide at Hi-Acres Manor Nursing Home, Jamestown.

Thelma Iola Haugen was born June 27, 1925 to Gust and Petra (Overby) Haugen on the family farm near Lonsdale, MN. She attended rural school and graduated from Northfield High School in 1942. She worked at Minneapolis Moline for 2 years and returned home to help her folks. She married Wilfred Aarestad, Carrington, ND on September 27, 1947 at Faribault, MN. They lived in Carrington, where she worked for the High School and Foster County Independent. They moved to Jamestown in 1950, where she worked in the office for 2 years for C F Lytle Co. that built the Jamestown Dam. In 1954, they moved to Fergus Falls, MN and in 1956 to Minneapolis where she cared for the children. In 1959, they returned to Jamestown where she was a homemaker. In 1968, when the children were all in school she began working at the Dakota Clinic (now Innovis) in the accounting department, until her poor health forced her to retire in 1992. She entered Eventide Nursing Home in June 2005.

Thelma is survived by her husband, Wilfred "Bill", Jamestown; three sons, Mike (Shirley) Aarestad, Bismarck, ND, Doug, Spokane, WA and Jim, Albuquerque, NM; three daughters, Becky (Bruce) Miller, Moscow, ID, Gwen, Oshkosh, WI, Julie (Brian) Stockwell, Jamestown, ND. Thelma is also survived by sister-in-law, Phyllis Haugen Beaver of TX; sister, Carol (Paul) Hemming; brother, Ron Haugen, both of CA; 11 grandchildren, 6 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, sister, Gertie Vangen Nelsen, and brothers-in-law, Thor Vangen and Ozwald Nelson, brother, Glenard, brother and sister-in-law, Allen (Arlene) Haugen and infant daughter, Susan.

Visitation: 5:00 to 8:00 PM, Sunday, April 22 at Eddy Funeral Home, Jamestown