In Memory of John Aarts

John Aarts was born on November 28, 1951 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in London, Ontario. John was the eighth son in a family of 10 children. His birth came just six months after his family immigrated to Canada from the southern region of Holland. When John was five years old, his family moved to a farm north of St. Thomas, Ontario where his family farmed the homestead into the 1980s. In addition, John’s father ran a small gravel pit operation where his children became familiar with heavy equipment.

John achieved academic success from an early age, even scoring 99 per cent on a final exam despite missing six weeks of the school year. On completion of elementary school, John faced a decision to work on the family farm or to study for the priesthood. John chose the latter and commenced studies at the Priests of the Sacred Heart Seminary on the outskirts of London.

John decided that the priesthood was not for him and he returned to the family farm. After several years of farming, he used his learned skills of operating equipment to gain employment in the heavy civil construction industry. John gained experience operating many different types of heavy equipment, but developed a reputation for having an exceptional aptitude as an excavator operator. As such, he travelled throughout Ontario to tackle some of the more challenging projects for his employers.

In 1978, John purchased a small bulldozer and worked as an owner-operator for contractors in the southwestern Ontario area. In 1982, John incorporated John Aarts Excavating at a time when the construction industry was almost at a standstill.

However, John persevered and contracted smaller jobs, often working late into the night. He operated equipment, performed labour work, supervised the jobs and prepared quotations for contracts. John soon hired his first employees and renamed his company: J-AAR Excavating Limited. It was from these small beginnings, that the company grew to include AAROC Aggregates and Recycling, and was subsequently known as one of the largest family-owned and operated heavy civil construction firms in southwestern Ontario. John was a highly charismatic individual with incredible business acumen. He was a creative thinker and innovator who either initiated, or was at the cutting edge of, technology within the industry.

On February 8, 2002, John passed away from injuries sustained in an industrial accident. He is survived by three sons who continue to operate the family business today.