Joshua D. Broten

A Celebration of Life for Joshua D. Broten of Roseau, MN will be held on Sunday, October 16, 2022 at 2:00 PM at the Roseau Baptist Church in Roseau, MN. Visitation will be held on Friday, October 14, 2022 from 5-7 PM at Helgeson Funeral Home in Roseau, MN with a Service of Remembrance open to the public at 7:00PM.

Joshua Deland Broten (40) of Roseau, MN, passed away September 21, 2022 in a plane crash on Lake of the Woods in Ontario, Canada, near his family cabin. In an instant, he went immediately from one of his passions to the next- literally from “Flying on Cloud 9” at the lake to singing praise and worship in the very presence of Jesus, his personal Savior. 

Joshua was born May 18, 1982 as the second of twin boys to Deland and Gloria (Nelson) Broten of Roseau, MN.  Growing up, he loved taking things apart just to put them back together, hinting at a future in engineering.  He attended Roseau Elementary and High School before heading to the University of North Dakota.  During his freshman year there, he earned his private pilots license in 2002 and graduated in 2005 with a degree in Industrial Technology.

Joshua and his high school sweetheart, Sara (Foss), were married in 2006, and they built a beautiful life and family together.  Their five amazing children, Annie (13), Noah (11), Molly (9), Emily (8), and Axel (6) were his pride and joy.  Joshua’s silliness, jokes, pranks, and smart comments will be laughed over for a lifetime.  His mischievous chuckle was contagious, and a flash of his smile and a quick wink always got him off the hook in a hurry.  Extended family and friends also held a special place in Joshua’s heart.  Time spent with them was prioritized as often as possible.   From quick trips to the hunting land, to polar plunging for a great cause, to backflip competitions off the pontoon, to wrestling matches on the lily pad, to hauling hay, to lending a helping hand with any random request, time spent with family and friends was important.  

An excellent work ethic, a teachable mindset, a great love for all people, a genuine, honest, and positive nature, and his ability to build relationships and encourage people allowed Joshua to be loved and respected at his places of employment.  He was employed at Polaris Industries for nearly 20 years and most recently had started working at Marvin in May 2021.  He had just recently been promoted to Director of Research and Development there. 

In 2015, Joshua and Sara purchased a shell of a cabin on Lake of the Woods in Ontario, Canada.  Over the next seven summers, a complete remodel of the 1950’s hunting outpost ensued.  With the addition of decks, docks, running water, and solar energy, their family worked together to transform it into their weekend and vacation retreat.  He eagerly learned many skills along the way and always encouraged his family to do the same.  Mistakes were often a good teacher, but Joshua never let them discourage or upset him.  He always forged ahead and did better the next time with a positive attitude.  They cherished their time on the lake and at the cabin with their kids, family members, and friends. Plenty of time was also set aside for playing on the lake.  A good work/play balance was of utmost importance to Joshua!  He usually led, or excitedly joined, the family in cliff jumping, swimming, fishing, tubing, boating, hiking, blueberry picking, gold-mine exploring, kayak racing, canoeing, rope-swinging, watercraft riding, and of course floatplane flying.  

In 2017, Joshua rekindled his interest in flying and began exploring Lake of the Woods with a kind and generous friend. In 2019, he realized a lifelong dream and purchased his own seaplane and a second cross country airplane in 2021. His passion for flying was evident in the way he pursued pilot ratings and how quickly he accumulated hundreds of flight hours.  He flew for the pure joy of seeing the world from a whole new perspective.  He eagerly shared his passion and joy with Sara on numerous flying dates, with kids, family, and friends in the pursuit of fly-in adventures all over the country, or by helping others when a ride to Mayo Clinic, the cities, or anywhere else in the midwest was needed. He enjoyed the new friendships that the aviation community introduced to him.

Joshua’s personal relationship and faith in Jesus was the foundation and cornerstone of his life. He attended Roseau First Baptist Church all his life, using his love for and talent in music (guitar, piano, and vocals) to serve as a worship leader there for many years.  Joshua’s life was marked by a heart of generosity.  He was generous with his time and money, and he never gave with the expectation of anything in return. He literally gave the shoes off his feet, flights to anywhere on his dime, and even his kidney to someone in need.  He truly believed Jesus’ words “it is more blessed to give than to receive” and lived them out well. 

Joshua had it all. He loved Jesus and was full of the joy of the Lord. His family and friends love and adore him. Thankfully, we told him and showed him often. His work-life was fulfilling to him- he felt valued and appreciated at work.  He was extremely passionate about his hobbies, especially the lake cabin and airplanes, and he would wholeheartedly share them with anyone that had an interest.  He lived and loved SO well.  He will be painfully missed but joyfully remembered. 

Joshua is survived by his beloved wife Sara, adored children Annie, Noah, Molly, Emily, and Axel, parents Deland and Gloria Broten, older brother Jacob (Sonja), his favorite sister Nicole (Wade) Hinson, twin brother Joseph (Iryna), in-laws Darrell and Nora Foss, and brother-in-law, Jim Foss.  He is also survived and loved as the self-proclaimed “Favorite Uncle” by 18 nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his grandma Mabel Broten, grandparents Roy and Donys Nelson, and his niece, Serenity Mabel Broten.

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