Aaro Tanney

Aaro August Tanney, 85, of Menahga, passed away on Sunday, August 27, 2016 in a Bemidji nursing home. Aaro was born on February 26, 1931 to August and Lempi (Lolli) Tanney at the family home in Spruce Township in Becker County.  He attended a little schoolhouse in Spurce Grove Township before transferring to Frazee High School, where he graduated in 1949. In high school, Aaro lettered in both basketball and baseball, and he continued this lifelong love of sports by playing for many years as a pitcher for the local amateur baseball teams. This culminated in his being inducted into the Wolf Lake Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988. Aaro was united in marriage to Bernice Amelia Golnick on June 17, 1961 in Wolf Lake. This marriage was blessed with two wonderful sons, Brad and Clayton. Bernice passed away in 1994. Aaro took great pride in being a caregiver for many family members in the final stages of their lives and was more than happy to help when there was a need. The outdoors also held a special place in Aaro’s heart. When he was a young member of the 4H, he once raised a black bear as a special personal project. His love of the outdoors was also fostered by the hunting, fishing, and trapping excursions he would go on with his uncle Matt and brother Bill to provide food for his family. Later, he would hold host an annual hunting gathering for that was much loved and enjoyed by his family. In 1952, Aaro joined the U.S. Army where he would be stationed in Germany. While there, he became both an instructor in mechanical maintenance and a member of the Honor Guard. When he returned to the United States, Aaro proudly became a member of the Menahga VFW Honor Guard, which he served for nearly 50 years until health issues forced him to retire. Aaro was proud to have been a farmer his whole life. He first farmed with his parents until his marriage when he purchased his own dairy farm, milking cows until the late 1990’s. His farm also housed colonies of bees. For many years, as a source of extra income, he would travel to Twin Valley, North Dakota to join in the annual beet harvest. For a hobby, Aaro chose carpentry. He enjoyed making cabinets for friends and family. He also served his community as Clerk of the Runeberg Township Board. In addition, he served as a member of the local electric board for several years. Aaro was a very meticulous man in every aspect of his life and work, taking pleasure in the little details of things. He was loved by all who knew him and he will be greatly missed. Aaro was preceded in death by his parents; wife Bernice; brothers Bill (Marlene) Tanney and Jack Tanney; sister Lempi (Edward) Fischer; brother in law Gene Rovinsky; and grandson Michael He is survived by his sons, Brad and Clayton; sister Margaret Rovinsky; granddaughters Nikki Frohman and Rhonda (Matt) Harre; great-grandsons Luke Harre and Nathan Harre; and many nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 3, 2016 at 3 PM at Cardini-Pearson Funeral Home in Menahga, MN. Internment will take place at Alajoki Cemetery in Menahga. There will be a visitation for one hour prior to the start of the service at the funeral home.