George Bakke

Funeral services for George M. Bakke, 95, of Aberdeen, will be 2:00 p.m., Monday, July 20, 2015, at Schriver's Memorial Mortuary & Crematory, 414 5th Avenue NW, Aberdeen, with Pastor Rhia Strohm, of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, officiating.

A luncheon and time of fellowship will follow the interment at Schriver's Memorial Fellowship Center.

Burial will take place at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Aberdeen.

Visitation will be 2-4 p.m., Sunday, and from noon until the time of the service Monday, all at the mortuary.

George passed away Friday, July 17, 2015, at Avera St. Luke's Hospital in Aberdeen.

Casual dress is requested at the service, per the family's wishes.

George M. Bakke was born on the family farm eight miles west of Sisseton, SD, on January 27, 1920, to Einar and Lena (Hellevang) Bakke. He attended country school for eight months of the year and church school during the month of June, walking both ways to both schools. George left the farm on September 9, 1940, with his best friend, Clarence Nielsen in a 1929 Model A Ford and headed for Los Angeles, CA. George often shared detailed memories of that trip, including the exact mileage, what they ate, where they stayed, and what everything cost on the way. In California he enrolled in Frank Wiggens Trade School while staying with his sister, Anna. George attended trade school for three years with an apprenticeship to become a Journeyman Bricklayer, which would become his lifetime career.

It was while attending trade school, at a dance, that he met his wife, May Devlin. They were married on February 27, 1943. The couple returned to Aberdeen, where George became employed with Kyburz Construction and remained with them for many years. He then worked for Del and Lou Hofer before beginning his own company, B & H Masonry, where he remained until the time of his retirement. George's acute memory again came into play when he was able to point out every building he worked on and name every town in which he every worked. George and May shared 40 years of marriage and raised four children together before she passed away on November 15, 1983.

George was blessed to have found love for a second time and gained a second family when he married Shirley Jacobson on December 9, 1989. The family made Aberdeen their home. Shirley passed away on October 30, 2012, and George continued to reside in Aberdeen until the time of his death.

George was a man of great faith. He was always happy in his work and his family and always had a handshake and conversation for everyone he met. He was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church and a 75-year member of Union Local #3 in Aberdeen.

George was an avid horseshoe player and loved watching sporting events, especially the Minnesota Twins, Vikings, and Timber Wolves. He also enjoyed old Western movies and the Lawrence Welk Show.

Grateful to have shared in George's life are his children: Shirley Christensen of Aberdeen, Ken Bakke of Brandon, SD, Shelley Smith of Aberdeen, Kevin (Margo) Bakke of Aberdeen, Brian (Becky) Jacobson of Aberdeen, and Rick (Susie) Jacobson of Aberdeen; nine grandchildren: Todd Bakke, Kristin (Don) Ganje, Tara (Tim) Borge, Travis (Katie) Smith, MaKenzie Smith, Brent (Tricia) Christensen, Tracey (Tracy) Christensen, Shannon (Ben) Bistline and Ashley Ganje; and six great-grandchildren: Ryann, Zac, Ella, Tylie, Aubrey and Lexie.

He was preceded in death by both wives, an infant daughter, four sisters, three brothers, an infant great-grandson and three sons-in-law.