Joyce A. Bakken

Joyce Adele (Farnham) Bakken was born at home on April 22, 1919, to Howard and Elizabeth (Buendinger) Farnham in Chaffee, ND.  She passed away at the age of 105, just two weeks shy of her 106th birthday.  She died peacefully in Rockford, IL.  She was united in marriage with Olaf M. Bakken on October 12, 1939, at the Presbyterian Church in Moorhead, MN.  For the next 25 years she lived in Oakes where she and her husband operated a small business and raised their two daughters.  From Oakes they moved to Bismarck, ND, Bowman, ND, and back to Bismarck, ND, again.

Joyce was predeceased by her beloved husband, Ole; her parents; and all of her siblings, Gilmore Farnham, Vernette Jorgenson, Lavere Kossick, Adair Benedict, Elizabeth Sirkoske, Shirlee See and Valorie Strommen.  She is survived by her two daughters, MaryJo Loffelmacher (Larry) and Pamela O'Neill (Mike); her grandchildren, Jody Jung (Bryan), Christine Heffron and Thaddaeus Loffelmacher; her two great-granddaughters, Maxine and Jillian Heffron.

Joyce will be dearly missed and cherished by her family and friends.  We wish her peace and joy.

Memorial service will be held at 2:00pm on Saturday, April 26, 2025 in Third Presbyterian Church, 1221 Custer Avenue, Rockford, IL 61103, with Rev. Dr. Stephen Bowie officiating.  Burial in Waldheim Cemetery, Kathryn, North Dakota.  

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