Al was born May 20, 1926, at
Christine
,
ND
, the son of Alfred and Hannah (Moe) Bakken. He was baptized and confirmed at a
Lutheran
Church
in
Wheaton
,
MN
, where Al attended school until May 20, 1943 when he joined the US Navy. He served on the U.S. Oyster Bay in the Pacific. Al received the Purple Heart; after his honorable discharge Al joined Northwestern Bell in
Fargo
. He was united in marriage to Arlene Jenson on February 14, 1947. In 1949, they moved to Wahpeton, ND, where he continued to work for
Northwestern Bell
for 36 years. In 1956 he joined the Wahpeton Fire Department, where he was the local fire chief for three years and served as North Dakota Fireman’s Assoc. President for 1970 and 1971. He retired in 1982 and continued to stay active in the community; he started the Fire Extinguisher Co. which he operated for several years.
Al belonged to
Bethel
Lutheran
Church
, and was a Life Member of VFW and DAV. He was also a member of VFW Honor Guard, Eagles, Last Man’s Club, Buffalo Club and Telephone Pioneers.
He will be sadly missed by his wife of 63 years, Arlene, Wahpeton; his three sons: John (Kathy) Bakken, Hankinson, ND; Jerry (Karen) Bakken, Wahpeton; Jeff (Barb) Bakken, Mandan, ND; grandchildren, Corey Bakken, Big Lake, MN; Caera Bakken, Seattle WA; Tim Bakken, Tucson, AZ; Michele (Mike) Graves, Wahpeton; Jodi Bakken, Fargo, ND 2 step-grandchildren, Austin and Shaina Hovrud, Mandan, ND; and five great grandchildren, his sister, Lenore (Jack) Goehring, Browns Valley, MN; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his two sisters, Blanche Ertsgard, and Helen Berger.
