Services for Blanche Bakken
Blanche Bakken, Thief River Falls, MN, formerly Grygla, MN passed away Sunday, October 22, 2017 at Thief River Care Center in Thief River Falls, with her loving family at her side at the age of 88.
Funeral Service will be Friday, October 27, 2017 at 11:00 AM at Grace Lutheran Church in Grygla, MN with Reverend Jeffery Merseth Officiating. Burial will be held at St. Olaf Cemetery at Grygla, MN
Visitation will be Thursday, October 26, 2017 from 5 – 8 PM with a Prayer Service at 7:00 PM at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls, MN and also one hour prior to the service on Friday.
Blanche Ione Howland was born September 27, 1929 at her childhood home in Hamre Township, the second daughter of Oliver and Serine (Tanem) Howland. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, rural Grygla. She attended grade school at the Hamre, Spruce Grove and 4-Town schools as well as Lincoln High School. She also did cleaning jobs in the Thief River Falls area. She met Raymond Bakken, they fell in love and were married on June 6th, 1948 at Our Savior’s after which she moved to Ray’s farm where she resided until moving to the Thief River Care Center in August of 2015. To this union 9 children were born. They include: Sandra, Glenyce, Dale, Roxane, Rocky, Timothy, Shelly, Scott and Ryan.
Blanche enjoyed sewing, embroidering, gardening, quilting, baking and was an excellent cook. She was a lifelong member of St. Petri Lutheran Church and Ladies Aid, serving in several offices, as well Lull-A-While Homemakers. Besides raising her family she was active in the farm work, babysat and did housecleaning for neighbors.
Blanche is survived by her loving husband Raymond of 69 years and 4 months, children Sandra (Wayne) Warne, Glenyce (Loren) Lusignan, both of Grygla, Roxane (Steve) Sorvig of St. Hilaire, Shelly (Wes) Swanson of Berthoud, CO, Scott Bakken of Grygla and Ryan Bakken of East Grand Forks, MN: sisters Doris Cleven of Grygla, Lynette (Thad) Ashton of Cypress, CA, brother Oral (Barb) Howland of International Falls, MN, and sister-in-law Myrtle Bakken of Redding, CA. also grandchildren Jason (Christy) Warne, Denton (Jamie) Warne, Kelsey (Ben) Hest, Brent (Sara) Lusignan, Karla (Brent) King, Kyle (Basia) Lusignan, Aaron (Kristin) Sorvig, Nate (Lisa) Sorvig, Tyson (Cheyenne Christenson) Sorvig, Keenan Sorvig, Heather (Josh) Britton, Stacy (Steve) Stull, Bethany (Kevin) Ingram, McKenzie, Madison and Maci Bakken, Kaitlyn, Jennica and Baylor Bakken, and 21 great-grandchildren.
Blanche is preceded in death by her sons Dale Vern, Rocky DelRay, Timothy Dean, grandsons Darren and Travis Warne, parents Oliver and Serine Howland, mother and father-in-law Hazel and Hjalmer Bakken, sister Marian Harris, brother Vernon, brothers-in-law John Harris, Harlan Cleven, Bernard Bakken, sister-in-law Carol Howland.
Family condolences may be sent to www.johnsonfuneralservice.com
