Rodney Allen Bakke

Rodney Allen Bakke, 86, Bismarck, passed away Friday, April 14, 2023, at Edgewood Village, Bismarck.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM, Wednesday, April 26, at Faith Lutheran Church, 1402 E Ave C, Bismarck.

Visitation will be held from 6:00-7:30 PM, Tuesday, April 25, at Eastgate Funeral Service, 2302 E Divide Ave, Bismarck. A prayer service will begin at 7:30 PM.

Burial will be held at Fairview Cemetery, Bismarck.

Rodney was born on Jan. 7, 1937, in Crookston, MN, to Clarence and Agnes (Bakken) Bakke. During his early childhood years, they lived in Portland, OR, moving to Riverdale, ND, at age 12. He graduated from Riverdale High School and ND State School of Science, Wahpeton, ND.

He met the love of his life, Barbara Grinager, at the Corner Drug in Wahpeton where she was employed. After graduation from NDSSS he moved to Bismarck where he was employed by Northwestern Bell Telephone Company.

Rodney and Barbara were married on April 26, 1958, at Bethel Lutheran Church, Wahpeton.

They were blessed with a daughter and a son. His employment with the telephone company moved them from Bismarck to Dickinson and Bowman returning to Bismarck in 1965.

After his retirement from the telephone company in 1986 he worked for the ND State Tax Department and Don’s Driving School for 13 years. He also worked at the Wheel-a-While roller rink as a floor guard which was a family affair with his wife, daughter and son also working there.

Rodney and Barbara enjoyed spending many summers at their lake place on Ottertail Lake, MN. A place where his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren have created many memories. 

His family gave him a genealogy computer program for Christmas which started him working for many years putting together his family ancestry and keeping it updated. He spent countless hours searching for information and finding the gravesites of many ancestors. It was something he really enjoyed and passed copies of his book to many cousins,

He was not only a dad, grandpa, and great grandpa but a friend. We were blessed to have him for 86 years. We will miss him until God reunites us in heaven.

He was an amateur radio operator (K0ALV) for over 60 years and also was a member of the ND Telephone Pioneers and the Sons of Norway.

He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Laurie and Darrel Heick, Dickinson; son and daughter-in-law, Scott and Bobbi (Winterowd) Bakke, Mazatlan, Mexico; grandsons, Dustin (Jayme) Heick and their children, Ramona Barbara, Helen Judith, and Alice Suzanne, Bismarck, and Derrick (Shannon) Heick and their children, Leighton Jayce, Chase Callum and Beckett Cullen, West Fargo; and his special friend and companion, Josie Heinert.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara (2012); and his parents, Clarence and Agnes Bakke.

In lieu of flowers family requests that memorials be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN, 38105.