Erling Bakken
Erling Bakken passed away quietly in his sleep while at home on
Friday, November 27, 2009 in Billings, MT.
Erling was born in Beach, North Dakota, February 11, 1926.
He spent his school years in Wibaux, MT, attending Wibaux
County High School where he participated in sports, playing both
football and basketball, and graduated in 1944.
He joined the US Navy shortly after High School and served in
the South Pacific during World War II.
In April of 1949, he married Verna Begger in St. Phillips, MT
and they remained married for the next sixty years until the time of
his death. Early in
their marriage they moved to Cody, WY where Erling worked for the US
Bureau of Reclamation, and lived at Heart Mountain (the former
Japanese internment camp north of Cody, WY) while there.
They moved from Cody back to Wibaux, MT where they ranched,
farmed, and raised a family until 1976 when he retired from ranching
and moved to Bozeman, MT and became a realtor.
Later they relocated to Billings, MT when Erling accepted a
position in the maintenance department at Rocky Mountain College.
He retired again in his seventy’s which as usual didn’t suit
him and remained active building yard furniture and decorations and
working at Wal-Mart as a greeter.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Erland and Hannah
Flatmo Bakken, his brothers Sigmund and Harold, and a sister Gudrun
Bakken Zinsli.
He is survived by his wife Verna of Billings, a son Gary
Bakken of Billings, MT, his daughter Gail Bakken Frank of Buffalo,
WY, his granddaughters Danielle Frank of Seattle, WA and Mariel
Frank of Whitefish, MT, and his brothers Peter Bakken of Glendive,
MT, Arnold Bakken of Wibaux, MT, and Leif Bakken of Wibaux, MT.
In keeping with Erling’s wishes, funeral services were kept
to his immediate family and friends and his ashes were later
interned in the Veteran’s section of the Sunset Memorial Gardens
Cemetery.
Remembrances
Please leave your name and remembrance in this public guest book. Your comments will be shared on this page and forwarded to the family.
Gary and family, please know we send our heartfelt sympathy to all of you. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Hertha and staff, First Pharmacy
Verna & Gary,
Verna...you have a wonderful husband. I will miss his occasional visits to the office. I am truly sorry for his death. I share your grief. I know we will all see him again in Heaven.
Love
Donna Bliss
To the Bakken family,
We are sorry to learn of Erling's passing. Our condolences are with you. Ken and Betty Brockmeyer
I will remember the square dancing with Gary ,Gail and the rest of your family when I was young. What good memories I have of your whole family. Was visiting my parents when I saw it in the paper.
Karen Brockmeyer Davis, Portland, Oregon