Richard Harju

Memorial service will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 27, 2025 at the Biwabik Covenant Church with Rick Heitke officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Arrangements are by the Ziemer-Moeglein-Shatava Funeral Home in Aurora.

Richard “Dick” Harju, 82, a longtime resident of the Lakeland area passed away on Saturday, May 10, 2025 at Essentia Health Northern Pines hospital in Aurora.

Dick was born on December 28,1942 to Eino and Ardis Harju. He was a 1960 graduate of Gilbert High School. He played the bass drum in the Gilbert band. Dick met Peggy (Strom) on a blind date and proposed to her after 3 dates they were married on June 19, 1961. He worked as a gas station attendant and baker before he was hired by Reserve mining company in Babbitt as an electrician and earned his Journeyman electrical license through the mining trade school. In the 1980's, when Reserve shutdown he then worked for the city of Biwabik as the Superintendent of Public Utilities until his retirement.

Dick was a member of the masonic lodge, a former member of the Aurora Moose Lodge where he and his family enjoyed going to the fish fry on Friday nights. He served on both the Biwabik school board and the Biwabik Township board for many years.

He was known for telling funny stories and was quite a prankster. He loved to make people laugh. He enjoyed spending time at the cabin, hunting, fishing, four wheeling, camping, western movies and loved watching the tv show Blue Bloods. Dick was a huge fan of the Minnesota Vikings and loved to attend happy hour (board meetings) with his bar friends. Dick was a social butterfly and knew everyone in town regardless of their age.

The family would like to thank the staff at Northern Pines in Aurora for the excellent care that he received there. He loved to tip the staff with tootsie pops when they would come to see him.

Survivors include his children: Linda Spooner of Gilbert, Connie Harju of Orr, Brandon Harju of Merrill, WI and Maija (Joe) Bolen of Duluth; grandchildren: Justin (Jessica) Spooner, Mason, Axton, Morgan, and Tyson Bolen; great-grandchildren: McKenna and Alyssa; brother, Donald (Cindy) Harju as well as several nieces and nephews; and his extended bar family

He was preceded in death by his wife, Peggy; a brother, David; son-in-law, Robert Spooner; and his parents.

Family requests that you wear your Minnesota Vikings apparel to the service.