Bakkum, Irene (Engrav) 1903-1990

ENGRAV, LARSON, BAKKUM, THORSTENSON, HELGEMOE, JAHR, MOE, ANDERSON, CHRISTENSEN

Posted By: Connie Ellis (email)
Date: 8/21/2011 at 21:48:09

SOURCE: Waukon, Iowa WAUKON STANDARD, June 5, 1990
Contributor: Connie Ellis (Not related)

Funeral services for Irene Althea Bakkum, age 86, of Waukon, Iowa, were held Monday, June 4 at 1 p.m. at the Old West Paint Creek Lutheran Church with burial in the church cemetery. The Rev. Gary Bachman officiated at the services and Martin Funeral Home of Waukon was in charge of the arrangements. Pallbearers were Virgil Thorstenson, Roger Thorstenson, Allan Bakkum, Richard Brown, Dennis Deal, Greg Gordon, and Terry Shogren, Honorary pallbearers were Melvin Anderson, Forrest Engrav, Clarence Engrav, Lloyd Engrav, Barthell Bakkum, Raymond Jahr, Henry Engrav, and Carl Christensen.

Irene Althea, daughter of Ole and Caroline (Larson) Engrav, was born October 26, 1903 in McKee Township in Allamakee County, Iowa. She received her education in Allamakee County rural elementary schools and then moved with her parents to southern Minnesota where she attended Rushford High School through the ninth grade. On February 23, 1923, she married Arnold B. Bakkum at Highland Prairie Lutheran Church in Rushford, Minnesota. They moved back to Iowa following their marriage. Irene was a farm wife and also worked for ten years, from 1963 to 1973, as a cook at the Good Samaritan Center in Waukon, Iowa. She was a very active member of Old West Paint Creek Lutheran Church in rural Waterville, Iowa. She served as president of the Ladies' Aid Society several times, served as a Sunday School Teacher for many years, and joined in other church activities.

Irene Althea Bakkum died Friday, June 1, 1990 at the Good Samaritan Center in Waukon, Iowa, where she had been residing. Preceding her in death were her parents, her husband, Arnold Bakkum, who died May 14, 1982; a son, Orville Bakkum who died March 14, 1980; 3 brothers, Halvor Engrav, Leonard Engrav, and Lawrence Engrav, and a brother Henry Engrav who died in infancy.

She is survived by her daughter, Eleanor (Otto) Thorstenson; 8 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren; 5 sisters, Marie Helgemoe of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Esther (Raymond) Jahr of Rushford, Minnesota, Edna Moe of Decorah, Iowa, Emma (Melvin) Anderson and Cora (Carl) Christensen, all of Waukon, Iowa; 4 brothers, Henry Engrav of Decorah, Iowa, Clarence Engrav of Mabel, Minnesota, Lloyd Engrav of Rushford, Minnesota, and Forrest Engrav of LaCrosse, Wisconsin.