Joseph Harren of Warroad, MN formerly of Red Lake Falls, MN, died Sunday August 17, 2014 at Warroad Senior Living Center, Warroad, MN. Memorial mass will be held on Monday, August 25, 2014 at 11:00 AM in St. Joseph Catholic Church in Red Lake Falls with Father Bill DeCrans Officiating. Burial will be held in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery near Red Lake Falls, MN. Visitation will be held on Monday one hour prior to services at the church. Hon. J. A. Harren "Joe" was born Joseph Aloysuis Harren on May 6, 1928 to Joseph C. and Walburga (Bergman) Harren of Freeport, Minnesota. Joe passed away peacefully in his sleep on August 17, 2014 at the age of 86. Joe attended Melrose High School, St. John's University, South Dakota State University, and St. Paul College of Law, (William Mitchell College of Law), earning his law degree in 1951. He worked his way through college and Law school by, among other things, catching for some of the best pitchers in Minnesota semi-pro baseball. While a senior in law school Joe visited Red Lake Falls on a business assignment for his employer and was impressed by the natural beauty of the city. It was located nearly halfway between his home town in Stearns County, Minnesota and that of his fiancée who was a practicing registered nurse in Winnipeg Manitoba, Canada. Later upon his discharge from the army in January, 1952 he opened a law practice in Red Lake Falls. In June of 1952 Joe married Marie Blanche "Jeanne" Deschenes from Dunrea, Manitoba. The couple made their home in Red Lake Falls and raised their ten children there. Joe built a successful law practice in RLF where he served as the city attorney. In 1964 Joe was first elected Judge of Probate Court, a position which permitted him to continue his practice of law on a limited basis. In 1968 Marshall County was added to his jurisdiction. In June 1971 he became the first County Court Judge in the state of Minnesota under the new Court Reform law and later served as Chief Judge of the Marshall-Red Lake- Pennington Count Court District. In 1991 he retired after more than 40 years dedicated to the Law. In Red Lake Falls Joe enjoyed recreational baseball and softball. He coached youth hockey and enjoyed many years as a firearms safety instructor. He was a charter member of the Oak Knolls golf club and took great pride in the course he and his friends built along the Clearwater River. He was a member of the Sportsman Club and helped to convert "the dump" near the confluence of the Red Lake and Clearwater Rivers (The Point) into a sportsman's park. He enjoyed membership and service in the American Legion Club, the Commercial Club, the Pathfinder's snowmobile club, the SJU Alumnae Association and the Blue Line Club. He served on the Red Lake County Bank Board of Trustees and was an active member of St Joseph's Parish and The Catholic Order of Foresters. Following childrearing and retirement Joe and Jeanne moved their home to Swift Ditch, east of Warroad Joe had a lifelong love of the outdoors and shared that joy with his children and grandchildren supporting and encouraging faithfully. He was happiest when he was with Mother Nature. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, manual labor, mushroom hunting, berry picking, bird/nature watching, his many canine companions, his trademark pipe, hiking and spending time at his hunting cabin in Beltrami Island. Joe is survived by his wife of 62 years, Jeanne; children John (Patricia) of Warroad MN, Richard (Suzanne) Wasilla AK, Jeannette Knott of Red Lake Falls, Susan (Knute) Knutson of Red Lake Falls, Jacqueline (Brent) Edison of Bismarck ND, Mark (Dawna) of Warroad MN, Peter (Monique) of Anchorage AK, Sheila (Perry) Nagel of Grand Forks ND, and Paulette (John) Ditzler of Eagle River AK; 39 grandchildren; 26 great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews in the U. S. and Canada. Joe was preceded in death by his parents and his son William.