Barbara Jean Bakke

Barbara Bakke, 76, Bismarck, died April 18, 2012, at Medcenter One hospital. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, April 23, at Faith Lutheran Church, Bismarck, with Rev. Wes Aardahl officiating. Burial will be at Fairview Cemetery, Bismarck. Family will be greeting visitors starting at 6:00 p.m. Sunday, April 22, at Eastgate Funeral Service, Bismarck, where a prayer service will begin at 7:30 p.m. Barbara was born on August 1, 1935, in Brainerd, MN, to Adolph and Bessie Laura Chamberlin Grinager. At the age of seven she moved to rural Wahpeton. She graduated from Wahpeton High School and North Dakota State School of Science. She was employed at Corner Drug and Oliver's Super Valu until moving to Bismarck in October 1957. While working at Corner Drug, she met the love of her life, Rodney Bakke. They were married on April 26, 1958, at Bethel Lutheran Church in Wahpeton. At the beginning of their marriage, she was employed with Naegle Studio until the birth of their daughter Laurie. Rodney was employed with the telephone company that moved them from Bismarck to Dickinson and Bowman, where their son Scott was born; returning to Bismarck in 1965 where they have made their home since and were members of Faith Lutheran Church. She was a stay-at-home mom a.k.a. domestic engineer and once her children were older she enjoyed being employed by Wheel-a-While roller rink that became a family affair with eventually her husband, daughter and son working there. When Wheel-a-While closed, she then was employed at the Kirkwood Postal Contract Station and later with Bismarck Public School System as a cook at Pioneer School. Barbara and Rodney enjoyed spending many summers at their lake place at Ottertail Lake, MN. Well known for her baking, she shared goodies with many over the years. Her grandchildren loved her chocolate chip cookies. She had a kind and giving heart helping others in any way she could. We have lost not only a wife, mom, grandmother, and great-grandmother, but also a good friend. We will miss her dearly until we see her again someday in heaven. She is survived by her husband, Rodney; one daughter and son-in-law, Laurie and Darrel Heick of Dickinson; one son and daughter-in-law, Scott and Bobbi Winterowd Bakke of Morrison, CO; two grandsons, Dustin Jayme Heick and their children, Ramona Barbara and Helen Judith, Dickinson, and Derrick Shannon Heick and their children, Leighton Jayce, Chase Kallum, and Beckett Cullen, Fargo; one sister, Mary Grinager, Minneapolis MN; one brother-in-law, John Hammond, Wahpeton; six neices; and five nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters, Laura Mae, Carol, Joan, and Ginger; and her mother and father-in-law, Clarence and Agnes Bakke.

Barbara Jean Bakke

August 1, 1935 - April 18, 2012