Sidney ("Sid") L. Aarestad passed away peacefully on December 4, 2021, in Surprise, AZ, with his wife by his side. The last five years of his life, multiple myeloma impacted his physical health but not his positive, caring nature. He continued to enjoy life until a fall led to a sudden decline the last three weeks of his life.

Sid was born on October 26, 1939, in Grafton, ND, to Thurman and Ella Aarestad. As a young boy, he moved to Denison, IA, and graduated from high school there in 1957. He went on to attend Drake University where he received a degree in Business Administration in 1961. Then, after moving to Sioux Falls, SD, he launched what would become a 35-year career as a bank examiner for FDIC. A passionate advocate for responsible lending practices and stable financial institutions, he worked tirelessly to help strengthen the banks he examined. 1996 brought his first attempt at retirement, which he often joked that he "failed." Just two years later, he happily returned to banking, taking a position "on the other side of the desk" as Senior Vice President and Senior Loan Officer at Rosemount National Bank. (His second attempt at retirement six years later was an unqualified success.)

A blind date on Valentine's Day of 1964 introduced Sid to the love of his life, Vivian Hansen. The couple married on July 23, 1966, in Luverne, MN, (or as he called it, "the center of the universe"). They enjoyed a 55-year journey together that included raising two children, delighting in four grandchildren, and living in multiple locations throughout Minnesota and North Dakota before adding snowbird time in Arizona during retirement. Sid's kind devotion as a husband reflected the strength of his faith and character as well as the depth of his love and respect for Viv.

A family man through and through, Sid was a constant cheerleader for his kids and grandkids, supporting them in their passions and never hesitating to offer a celebratory "Yay, yay, yay!" for their successes. His favorite way to spend a day was with family and friends, creating memories. He cherished good conversation and gathering for a meal; he especially enjoyed golfing, playing cards, attending sporting events, and traveling. He usually had a Sprite or Pepsi in one hand and a newspaper in the other... and a chocolate chip cookie was never too far away. Neither was a nap—because "naps are good."

Sid's Christain faith played a central role in his life. He was continuously involved with his church, serving on church councils, finance committees, or as a treasurer at Atonement Lutheran in St. Cloud, MN, Immanuel Lutheran in Eden Prairie, MN, and, for the last twenty-five years, St. James Lutheran in Burnsville, MN. His almost daily commitment to this ministry reflected his belief that financial stability and good stewardship are crucial to the mission of the church. He could also be counted on to keep people and topics on his prayer list, and he often recognized God working in his life, saying, "That was an answer to prayer."

An avid lifelong golfer, Sid shared his love of the game with anyone who was interested, believing that "you can never have too many golf partners." He was a huge sports fan and an ardent supporter of Minnesota teams. He loved going to Vikings games with his son and grandson and never missed predicting the score. If only the Vikings had won as many games as he predicted they would.

Sid is preceded in death by his parents, Thurman and Ella Aarestad. He is survived by his wife, Vivian; two children, Thomas (Heidi) Aarestad in Eagan, MN, and Susan (Michael) Richardson in Phoenix, AZ; and four grandchildren, Nicholas and Luke Aarestad and William and Helena Richardson, as well as his extended family and countless friends. We will all miss him more than words can express.

Sid often said,"Short story long." In this case, it's "Long story short:" The world has lost a good one!

"One more thing" - Visitation will be held at St. James Lutheran Church, 3650 Williams Dr, Burnsville, MN 55337 on Sunday, December 26 from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM.

The Celebration of Life service will be held Monday, December 27 at 1:00 PM at the church.

Registration is required for both the visitation and the service. Please use the following link:. https://www.stjameslc.org/funeral-notification.

The service will be live streamed using the link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGObL6OJi3cIdQyZ-QSxhGg There will be a private interment ceremony for the family at the Immanuel Lutheran Church columbarium.

In lieu of flowers, please consider giving a memorial in Sid's honor to St. James Lutheran Church or The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.