Bakken, Darla Louaine (Anderson) 1934 - 2021

BAKKEN, ANDERSON, HAALAND, FADNESS, GRONNA, LUNDAHL, DRAHN, MEHL, LEISTIKOW, LUNDEEN

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/19/2024 at 21:00:44

Darla Louaine (Anderson) Bakken passed away peacefully at Barthell Eastern Star Home in Decorah, Iowa on February 7, 2021.

Darla was born in Decorah, Iowa on February 18, 1934 to Leon and Tinka (Haaland) Anderson. Darla attended country school in Madison Township and there she met her husband-to-be, Gerald Bakken. They dated in high school and married on January 2, 1955. Together they farmed west of Decorah and had two children, Lynn and Gary. When not busy with farm life, Gerald and Darla enjoyed dancing, playing cards, traveling with friends and spending time with family. Their farm was a playground for their grandchildren, who Darla often took hunting, fishing, mushroom and berry picking. She usually had one or more of her grandkids while she was out working in the fields or in the garden. Darla and Gerald taught them to play cards and a couple of them inherited Darla’s luck in “always getting the joker.” Her capacity to play her life's hand with loyal strength and humor strengthens all who knew her. Darla was considered the “sharp shooter” in her deer hunting group, which at times included 20+ men. She passed this skill onto her son, Gary and her grandson, Alan. Darla was a skilled woodworker and taught herself to weld. She doctored many injured and sick animals, did the butchering and operated the farm equipment - all at her speed, fast. She also played the piano and always had a warm meal for everyone at the farm. In 1996, Darla suffered a debilitating stroke. She had to relearn many life skills but with the help of a medical team and her family she made tremendous progress. Darla spent the remainder of her years enjoying the farm, playing cards, taking the utility vehicle to visit neighbors and to hunt for mushrooms, wild asparagus and berries. Over the past few years her greatest joy came from visits with her great grandchildren.

Left to grieve her memory are her husband, Gerald; children, Lynn (Dave) Fadness and Gary (Rhonda) Bakken; grandchildren, Laura (Ryan) Gronna, Paul Fadness, Britney (Jay Lundahl) Bakken, Courtney Bakken; step-grandchildren, Troy (Casie) Fadness and Travis Fadness; great-grandchildren, Maya & Hadley Gronna, Kolton & Emma Drahn, and step-great-grandchildren Hannah & Maxwell Fadness. Darla will be lovingly remembered by her brother Terry (Rose) Anderson, sister Rosemary (Mike) Mehl, sisters-in-law Sharon Anderson, Phyllis Leistikow and Mary Anne Bakken, brother-in-law Herb Lundeen, and many nieces and nephews.

Darla was preceded in death by her parents, Leon and Tinka Anderson; mother and father-in-law, Pauline and Ole Bakken; brother Arden Anderson; sister Sylvia Lundeen; brothers-in-law, Howard Bakken and Ralph Leistikow and her beloved grandson, Alan Fadness.

A private family burial and celebration of life will be held in the spring. The family would like to extend a very special thank you to the staff at The Good Samaritan Center in Waukon, Barthell Eastern Star Home and Winneshiek Medical Center Hospice in Decorah for their amazing care during her time with them.

Memorials may be sent in memory of Darla to: 2480 Madison Rd. Decorah, Iowa 52101

Source: Schluter-Balik Funeral Home database

Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Jeff Getchell.
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