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Gereldene “Geri” Phyllis Bakken was the third of six children born to Erick and Grace Schultz on Nov. 3, 1924, in Willow City, North Dakota. In 1941, at the age of 17, she went to Washington, D.C., where she worked as a secretary at the Pentagon. She attended Minot State Teachers College and taught school for a few years after returning to North Dakota.

Geri married Robert Bakken in 1951, and they had four children together. The couple lived in Esko before moving to Moorhead. She had a passion for reading, was an accomplished pianist, and loved playing bridge.

Geri was peacefully called home Oct. 27, 2019, surrounded by her family, just a few days shy of her 95th birthday, in Eventide on Eighth Care Center, Moorhead, Minnesota.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Robert “Bob” Bakken; eldest daughter, Sharon Bakken; sisters Mildred Lien and Pauline Vig; and brother John Schultz.

Geri is survived by brothers Donald and Richard Schultz; daughter Cinda (Rick) Spieler; sons Jon (Mary) and Joel (Jan) Bakken; and nine grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Visitation: 12 p.m. until the 2 p.m. funeral Monday, Nov. 4 in Korsmo Funeral Chapel in Moorhead. Geri will be buried at Maple Grove Cemetery in Cloquet Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 3 p.m.

The family is grateful for the care and comfort Eventide on Eighth provided both Geri and Bob over the years. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Eventide’s Streed Commons project.

Visit the guestbook at http://www.korsmofuneralservice.com.

Printed in the Pine Knot News, Nov. 1, 2019