John V. Hultstrand

John Victor Hultstrand, age 85, of Side Lake, MN, passed away on Tuesday, December 16, 2025,  at his home in Side Lake. He was born on November 15, 1940, in Hibbing, MN, to Victor and Francis (Indihar) Hultstrand.

John spent his early years at a family cabin on Side Lake playing, fishing, and exploring the area that he grew to love so dearly. John worked from the age of 15 until college graduation, driving a gravel truck for St Louis County (Coon Construction) out of Hibbing. His supervisor taught him to drive on Saturdays, which is why John knows all the back roads in the area. He was part of the Hwy 53 construction project, driving the trucks.

He graduated from Hibbing High School in 1959. After graduation, he attended 2 years at Hibbing Jr College, graduating with his associate's degree in general studies. While in school, he was recruited to play hockey with the Hibbing Fliers.

John was drafted in 1963 into the US Army, where he served for 2 years. He began his military career in Fort Hamilton, NY. He then served in Bonn, Germany, as a Private E1 ace tank gunnery shooter. He was offered a promotion to an E2, but chose to decline. He was stabbed while in service in Europe, which injured his kidney, leaving him in the VA hospital for weeks. John sold cigarettes to locals for extra money.

When John was discharged & he returned to the states, he went back to school for a year at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis campus, then transferred to the University of Minnesota Duluth, receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree. He further attended the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks School of Law, obtaining his Juris Law degree.

John worked in law, crafted & sold fishing lures, learned cabinet making, where he refined his woodworking and design skills in the winter, then enjoying his other passion, fishing, in Canada during the summers.

In 1985, John, his sister Marsha, and their mother purchased land on Trestle Lake, Side Lake, MN. John utilized his woodworking & design skills to build his home on the land. Over the years, making improvements to the property, including outbuildings, a dock & landscaping, including rock walls. John spent the majority of his years as an adult living on this property, nestled amid McCarthy Beach State Park.

John worked as the French Township assessor until his retirement in approximately 2014.

John met Diane in the spring of 2001, building a lifelong partnership & love for each other. They spent their time in nature, regular dinner dates with friends in the area, snowmobiling & 4 wheeling. John developed dementia of which Diane became his caregiver. John passed at home, which is the only place he talked about wanting to be when that time came.

John is survived by his sister Marsha Hultstrand, his life partner Diane McNamara, and an unknown quantity of additional family members, as well as close lifelong friends.

He is preceded in death by grandparents, parents, sister Charlotte, brother-in-law Tuna and niece Rachel.

A Celebration of life will take place at a later date.