Erthl Odella BAKKEN

BAKKEN, NEREM, GERBER, GLASSEL

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/8/2009 at 09:45:26

NORTHWOOD, IOWA - Erthl Odella Bakken, 72, of Northwood, died Saturday (Feb. 15, 2003) at Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa in Mason City. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday at the First Lutheran Church, 309 N. Ninth St. in Northwood, with the Rev. Paul Holmer officiating. Burial will be in the Sunset Rest Cemetery in Northwood. Visitation will be from 5 until 7 p.m. Thursday at the Conner Colonial Chapel, 1008 First Ave. S. in Northwood, and one hour prior to time of services on Friday at the church. The family of Erthl Odella Bakken has requested that Memorial Contributions be made to the First Lutheran Church in Northwood, or to ones favorite charity in her memory.

Erthl Odella Bakken was born May 20, 1930, in Belmond, the daughter of Sylvan O. and Sadie (Nerem) Bakken. She was baptized into the Lutheran faith, and reaffirmed the faith of her baptism through confirmation on Oct. 7, 1945, by Rev. O.H. Hove in the Northwood Lutheran Church. She attended and received her education in the Northwood Public School system, graduating from Northwood High School in 1948. After completing her schooling, Erthl worked as a secretary for L.A. Baken attorney-at-law in Northwood prior to working with the telephone company as a operator and later commercial clerk for 15 years in Northwood, prior to transferring to the Northwestern Bell Telephone office in Mason City until her early retirement in 1980 after 32 years of service. Erthl enjoyed reading, music, working find a word puzzles, and traveling. She along with her sister, Iola, traveled extensively in the U.S., and made trips to Scandinavian countries, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Hungry, Czech Republic and cruised the Caribbean Islands and Hawaii. She also enjoyed visiting with people and eating out especially at the monthly gathering of the Birthday Club. Erthl also enjoyed doing volunteer work. She was an active member of First Lutheran Church and was very active in the Martha Circle in Northwood. She was also a life member of Telephone Pioneers of America, life member and active officer for 51 years with the Smith-Perry American Legion Auxiliary Post 144, and Ladies Auxiliary of "Our Buddies" VFW Post #6779 of Northwood".

Left to cherish her memory is a sister, Iola Bakken of Northwood; a nephew, Jan T. Gerber and wife, Candace, of Omaha, Neb.; several cousins; a special companion dog, Twinkles; and many friends. She was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Thor, Susan and Marie Nerem; paternal grandparents, Henry and Ida (Glassel) Bakken; parents, Sylvan and Sadie Bakken; a sister, Shyrlamae T. Gerber; many aunts, uncles and cousins. Conner Colonial Chapel.

Mason City Globe Gazette, Iowa
19 February 2003