John Aarestad will be rembered with a parade and celebration in Armstrong July 22 (photo courtesy of Daryl Davis / Shepherd's Hardware)

By Liam Verster

Up to 1,500 expected

Parade, tribute planned for community leader

Jul 12, 2023 | 5:30 AM

A large celebration is planned for an Armstrong man remembered as a “fixture” of the community.

John Aarestad, born May 3,1954, passed away May 29, 2023.

He worked at Shepherd’s Hardware for 43 years and Daryl Davis, a representative for the store, said he was the longest serving employee aside from the owners.

“He was a fixture at this store and it was a big loss to lose him,” Davis, a retail store manager and head of marketing, told Vernon Matters.

“He helped customers with all their projects and was there for staff that had any questions. He was a mentor to a lot of people here and very, very well liked by everybody in the community and in the larger area, actually.”

Second Degree Murder Charge

Preliminary court inquiry dates for Lumby murder case to be set in January

Dec 20, 2024

Home Flipping Tax

B.C.'s home flipping tax will come into effect in January

Dec 20, 2024

161.9¢/L

Gas prices jump 11 cents per litre in Vernon

Dec 20, 2024

Aarestad, a volunteer for the Sons of Scotland and Kalamalka Highlanders Pipe Band, and a classic car enthusiast, did not wish to have a service after his death.

In light of this, Shepherd’s Hardware has planned a community-wide celebration for Aarestad.

At around 12 p.m. Saturday, July 22, pipers and drummers from throughout the Okanagan and the Shuswap, people with their classic cars, Aarestad’s family and friends, and members of the public will meet at Shepherd’s Hardware warehouse building at 2308 Kirton Avenue in Armstrong for a parade through town.

“We are going to have a procession of trucks and the old car club and the pipe band and we’re going to walk down Mill Street and onto Pleasant Valley and then walk Pleasant Valley all the way to Nor-Val Arena in John’s name,” Davis explained.

“We are planning for anywhere between 1,200 and 1,500 people [in the procession].”

Once at the arena, a memorial tribute celebration will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

“We’ll have food there, two big screens featuring slides of John,” Davis told Vernon Matters.

“We’ll have people talking about John, reliving stories. And there will be food and beverages and live music, so it will be quite the event.”

The owners of Shepherd’s Hardware are organizing the procession and ceremony.

Aarestad is survived by his wife Janis and his two adult children, Angela and Colin.