Stewart Bakken

Stewart Earl Bakken, Age 94, of Fargo, ND passed away on February 2, 2009 at Villa Maria, Fargo. He was born to George E. Bakken and Elmira Stewart on August 14, 1914 in his grandmother’s house 5 miles west of Drayton, ND. He graduated from Drayton High School in 1934, and attended NDSU (then North Dakota Agricultural College) from 1937 to 1941. He married Marion Lucille Rye of Grafton, North Dakota on June 5, 1941, and then joined Remington Arms in Denver CO as a mechanical engineer. He reported for Army duty December 7, 1943, and joined the 30th Division, 117th Infantry, 1st Battalion, Company B, near Mortain, France on August 5, 1944. At midnight, August 6-7, his position was attacked by the 2nd SS Panzer “Todenkopf” Division and later by the 1st SS Panzer “Adolf Hitler” Division, supported by the 17th SS Panzer Grenadiers. His unit held its position, and the Nazi army in Normandy was largely destroyed in the ensuing battle of the Mortain-Falaise Pocket. After crossing France, Belgium, and The Netherlands, Company B led the October 2, attack that broke through the Siegfried line and into Germany at Ubach, just north of Aachen. Stewart was captured near Mariadorf on October 8, and spent 4 months as a POW in Stalag III-C before escaping on January 31, 1945 with the aid of Russian forces advancing on Berlin. He reached Odessa, Russia on March 16 and returned to the US. For his service, he was awarded the Bronze Star, 2 Distinguished Unit Citations, and 3 Battle Stars. After completing his BS in 1946, Stewart taught at NDAC until 1951, and then worked for the Western Company in Midland, TX designing oil well servicing equipment. He returned to Fargo in 1955, and taught mechanical engineering at NDSU. He retired as Professor in 1981, and continued part-time teaching until 1988. He was an avid woodcarver, and was a charter member and the first president of the Red River Valley Woodcarvers Association. He and Marion attended Elim Lutheran Church in Fargo, where he served as a deacon. Both were active in Veterans and POW organizations and volunteered at the Fargo VA hospital. He was a member of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Disabled American Veterans. Stewart was preceded in death by his parents, wife Marion, and special friend Alfhild Loucks. He is survived by his special friend Gladys Chapman of Detroit Lakes, MN, three sons, George (Laura) Bakken of Terre Haute, IN, James (Pamela) Bakken of Flushing, MI, and Peter (Martha Nack) Bakken of Madison, WI, sister Charlotte Scott of Winfield, WV, 6 grandchildren (April, Anne Marie, Erin, Kirsten, David, and Mara), and 3 great-grandchildren. The funeral will be held on Saturday, February 7, 2009 at 11:00 AM followed by a light lunch, at Elim Lutheran Church, 321 9th Street North, Fargo, with the Rev. Sue Koesterman presiding. Visitation will be 9-11 at the church. Burial will be at Grafton Lutheran Cemetery, Grafton ND when weather permits. Memorials may be given to the North Dakota State University general scholarship fund or to Elim Lutheran Church.