Arley Ray Hartsoch, 73, of Ray, ND, passed away on May 15th, after a short battle with a very aggressive cancer.

Arley was born on October 7th, 1949, in Williston, ND, to Earl and Ara Hartsoch. Arley grew up in the Nesson Valley farming community with his sisters, Maureen & Debbie, as well as several foster siblings, one being Dennis Marmon, who became a brother to him. Arley attended the Wonderlic country school and Beaver Creek Church, forming many deep and special friendships that have remained his entire life.

After Arley graduated from Ray High School in 1967, he attended the Association Free Lutheran Bible School in Plymouth, MN, where he met Cheryl Kallunki. They were married on August 7, 1970 and had a very loving and blessed life together.

After graduating from NDSU in 1973 with a degree in agriculture. Arley and Cheryl moved to Tioga, ND, where Arley served as assistant pastor at Zion Lutheran Church and the surrounding country churches, and where their first son, Brent, was born. In 1976, Arley and Cheryl moved to MN for a time, and soon their only daughter, Sara, was born. After a few years of serving in the church, attending seminary and searching different career paths, Arley heard the farm calling his name and they decided to move back and plant their own roots in the family farm. Soon to join them would be their sons Daniel and then Erik.

Farming isn’t just what Arley did, it was a part of who he was. He thoroughly enjoyed farming alongside his dad, Earl, until 2004 when Earl passed away. He always enjoyed the hard work, even shoveling grain. Like his dad, Arley had a work ethic that is hard to match. In 2009, his son Erik and his wife Amy moved back to the farm where Erik joined Arley in the farming family tradition. They worked hard, and together they watched the farm grow. Over the course of his farming career, Arley grew peas, lentils, wheat, safflower, barley, durum, flax, and soybeans, but corn was his favorite because of how fast the hopper filled up.

Arley was active in the community and served as the View Township assessor; was a chairman, trustee, and deacon of Beaver Creek Church, as well as a youth group leader. He also served on the AFLC world mission board. Arley used his carpentry skills around the community and drove school bus for the Ray school. He loved his community, friends and neighbors and always wanted to help fellow farmers in need. Arley’s heart to serve came from his personal relationship with Jesus. He wanted to live at peace with everyone and desired that everyone would know Jesus as their own personal Savior. Arley was humble, gentle, never needing attention or fancy things. His desire was to point people to Jesus – during the hard seasons and seasons of blessings, Arley wanted everyone to know that it all came from the Lord. He wanted to be a blessing to others in the community, as so many had been a blessing to him over the years.

Arley was a simple man and appreciated the simple joys of life. While being content to mostly stay home on the farm, Arley and Cheryl enjoyed traveling with their family and friends. They enjoyed visiting Brent in Arizona, they took their entire family and grandkids on a Disney Cruise and two trips to Disney World, they enjoyed a trip to Norway, many bus tours, an Alaskan cruise with dear friends, a trip to Young Life’s Malibu Club in British Columbia with Daniel, many trips to MN to visit Sara and family. Arley was very intentional about wanting to see extended family on both sides, as best he could. During the busy summer months, Arley and Cheryl enjoyed pulling their camper trailer to Medora, the mountains, and camping with Erik’s family at the Lewis and Clark State Park when the weather allowed some time off from farm work. Arley enjoyed gardening, hot tubbing, taking a sauna, picking June berries, trips up to Stone Johnny, popcorn every Saturday night, and watching classic westerns and the 700 Club every morning with the love of his life, Cheryl. In his spare time, Arley also enjoyed watching the Vikings football team and reading, specifically WW2 documentaries, Native American History and Old Western stories. He also enjoyed pancakes after church on Sundays and ice cream with his grandkids. Arley was very proud of all 6 of them and loved them dearly. He and Cheryl made many trips to MN to see Graham and Sam in their sporting games and other events. The four grandkids on the farm were blessed to have grandpa Arley be a part of their everyday life. He did many things with them, from building them homemade Lincoln logs, to shooting gophers, catching racoons, doing chicken chores, taking them for tractor rides, pulling them on sleds behind the mule, playing baseball, movie nights, and sleepovers.

Arley was a God-fearing, simple, honest, humble, hardworking man who will be sorely missed.

Arley is survived by his wife of 52 years, Cheryl. His son Brent Hartsoch in Apache Junction, AZ. His daughter Sara (Jason) Peterson, in Alexandria, MN, and grandsons Graham (21) and Sam (19). His son Daniel (Amanda) Hartsoch in Alexandria, MN. His son Erik (Amy) Hartsoch, on the farm in Ray, ND and grandsons, Benjamin (13), Jacob (11), Michael Arley Ray (8) and his only granddaughter, Ellery (6). His mother, Ara Hartsoch (98) who is in the Tioga, ND nursing home. His sisters Maureen (Larry) Severson in Roseau, MN, and Debbie (Jim) Jacob in Burns, WY. Foster-life brother, Dennis (Patty) Marmon, in Williston, ND. As well as uncles, several cousins, many nieces, nephews, and in-laws on both sides of the family.

Arley was preceded in death by his father, Earl Hartsoch, paternal grandparents Herman & Alice Hartsoch, and maternal grandparents Lloyd & Olga Hartsoch.

Memorial Contribution