John Thomas Hareid

John Thomas Hareid, age 75, passed away October 4, 2025, at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester. Funeral services will be held Friday, October 10, 2025 at 4:00 PM, with visitation one hour prior to the service at First Lutheran Church in Albert Lea.

John was born March 5, 1950 to Odean and Velma Hareid in Albert Lea, Minnesota. He graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1968. He loved telling people about being a tackle on the Albert Lea Football state championship team in 1968.

He married his high school sweetheart, Patti Peterson, in 1969 and they had three children together. John proudly worked his way through college at Mankato State University and graduated in 1972. He then worked full-time, while attending William Mitchell College of Law in the evenings, and earned his Juris Doctorate in 1976.

From there, John joined the law firm of Sturtz, Peterson, Butler and Chesterman in Albert Lea. He practiced law for over 40 years and was known to be conscientious and dependable. In addition to his law practice, John served on multiple community boards and committees, including First Lutheran Church, Jobs Inc., Albert Lea Business Development Center, the Albert Lea Rotatory Club, where he was awarded the prestigious Paul Harris Fellowship. Also, like any good hockey dad, he served as the president of the Albert Lea Hockey Association.

John captained many family road trips (North Shore, Black Hills, Washington D.C., Yellowstone, Banff, etc.) while the three kids fought in the back seat. He cheered his kids on at many hockey games, wrestling matches, baseball games and tennis matches. His parlor trick at hockey tournaments was ripping the Minneapolis/St. Paul phone book in half while kids looked on with amazement.

John and his wife Patti enjoyed traveling together, especially to John's native land of Hareid, Norway. John enjoyed the finer things in life, like good food, a beach beer, a sunset pontoon ride and a rock concert. He had great taste in music and loved listening to classic rock. His kids now do, as well.

After retirement, John and Patti got into lake life in Spooner, Wisconsin. They created many memories with their kids and grandkids while they fished, swam, shared stories, sat around the campfire and stargazed. In John's recent years, he enjoyed spending time with his grandkids and supporting them in their many activities. His grandkids brought him much joy and laughter.

If you knew John, you know he was quite fond of telling stories, especially to his grandchildren. These stories often involved his own grandparents, with whom he spent a lot of time as a child. He had a lot of stories to tell, since he grew up as a free-range kid in the 1950s.

John had a great sense of humor and infectious laugh. He wasn't afraid to laugh at himself or laugh at his own jokes. As his family often jested, "no one enjoys John more than John."

John is survived by his wife Patti of 56 years, his children Jeff (Ann), Aaron (Caroline), Melissa (Shawn), and nine grandchildren ranging in age from 3 to 24 years - Evan, Erik, Sophia, Ava, Henry, Nickolai, Seamus, Soren and Romy. John's older brother, William, also survives him.

Memorials may be directed to First Lutheran Church, 301 W. Clark, Albert Lea, MN 56007.