Joshua Scott Arey

Memorial services for Joshua S. Arey, age 33, of Milaca, will be held on Tuesday, October 9, 2018 at 11:00 AM at Peterson-Johnson Funeral Home in Milaca, with Rev. Jon Olson officiating.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the service, at the funeral home, on Tuesday.  Josh passed away Wednesday, October 3, 2018 at his home.

Josh Arey was a lifetime resident of Milaca and graduated from Milaca High School.  He is survived by his parents, Scott Arey (Jody) and Mary (Mort) Arey;  brother, Brandon Arey;  nephew, Emmett Arey;  his “Ophelia” Lorinda and their girls, Jaydin and Sadie;  grandmother Mae Lindberg, aunts and uncles, Joyce and Phillip Anderson, Ralph Koecher, and Rosella Selby-Hele. Josh was a respected mentor and friend to Justin, McKinzie, Little Odin and Alrick Krull and cousin to Lucas (Joanna), John, Aiden and Wyatt Selby-Hele, and Kelly and Lisa Bates.

Josh was preceded in death by his grandparents, John Arey, Arthur and Leona Mort, uncle, H. George Selby-Hele and cousin, Steven Westley.

Honorary casketbears are Emmett Arey, Sadie Nelson, Jaydin Nelson, Kenneth Klinghagen, Kodi Johnson, H. Lucas Selby-Hele, John Selby-Hele, Kelly Bates, and Lisa Bates.

Josh worked at Crystal Cabinets in Princeton for 12 years.  In the latest years, Josh did a job there that only he performed.  Josh and his brother, Brandon, were incredibly close to each other. Both brothers were like the other half of each other. Some of the things that the two really enjoyed doing together were kayaking the nearby rivers, agate picking, golfing, going to Twins’ games and chainsawing.  Josh, Brandon and Kodi spent many enjoyable hours going to musical concerts. Josh was a very loyal friend and was there to share in his friends’ lives.   Josh was unbelievably supportive and extremely helpful during his mother’s serious illnesses and he was always there in time of need for his aunts and uncles.  He was a devoted son, brother, nephew and uncle.  Josh traveled across the United States and Canada with family and friends. He was the first to spot a gift shop and any wild animal, so the family called him “Eagle-Eye Arey”.  He has enjoyed many trips to the north shore with his family and more recently with Lori and the girls.   Josh enjoyed all the Canadian fishing trips with Ken and his family.  Josh loved to garden, growing vegetables, preserving them, and growing flowers and making flower arrangements.   He was a creative cook, wood worker and was a thrift store aficionado.  Josh loved playing on his Zion Lutheran softball team, he was fun loving and enjoyed horseplay, especially with Emmett, Jaydin and Sadie, who he loved with all his heart.  Josh believed in the importance of putting family first and he had a very strong work ethic.  He thought that money was not the measure of a man.

Josh is, and will always be, very much missed by all his family and friends.