Edmunds County Tribune -

Memorial Service for Alice Christina Bakken, 93, of Sioux Falls and formerly of Aberdeen was at 10:30 a.m., Monday, December 20, 2021, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church Chapel in Aberdeen. Rev. Lisa Heffernan officiated.

Burial in Sunset Memorial Gardens.

Alice died December 15, 2021, at Touchmark at All Saints in Sioux Falls.

Alice Christina, daughter of Carl and Helen (Haerter) Stoecker was born July 3, 1928, in Hosmer. This is where she grew up and attended school, graduating from Hosmer High School with the class of 1946 as Valedictorian. She then attended Northern State College for one year and decided to give the working world a chance. She started out working at the First National Bank.

Alice was united in marriage to Clifford Bakken on November 13, 1951, in Corinth, Miss. Clifford had joined the Army, which brought them to live at Ft. Campbell, Ky. from 1951-1954. They then returned to Aberdeen where she was a stay-at-home mom until their children were raised. Alice then went to work as a teacher's aide at Aberdeen Central High School until retirement. Alice moved to Touchmark at All Saints in Sioux Falls in January 2016 until her passing.

Alice's first language was German. She enjoyed polka music, needlework, playing the piano, reading mysteries and crafting ceramics. She had two apple trees and loved making desserts with apples for everyone to enjoy. After retirement, Alice enjoyed travel, loving her trips to Branson.

She was a lifelong member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church and enjoyed all of the activities that volunteering brought her.

Grateful for having shared Alice's life are her children, Stephen (Linda) Bakken of Blue Earth, Minn., Tom Bakken of Aberdeen, and Kristi (Dean) Putnam of Sioux Falls; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Robert Stoecker.

Casketbearers were Kit Kenney, Tedd Bakken, Sam Putnam, Rudi Crous, Brittney Crous, Aubrey Iverson and Nick Iverson.

The family prefers memorials to Avera @ Home Hospice-Sioux Falls or Bethlehem Lutheran Church-Aberdeen.

Carlsen Funeral Home and Crematory of Aberdeen has been entrusted with arrangements. http://www.carlsen fh.com.