Loretta Jane Carlson

Loretta (Bakke) Carlson went home to be with the Lord and rejoin her husband, Ray, and her daughter, Renee, on December 9th, 2024. Loretta passed with her loving family surrounding her. 

Loretta Bakke was born on November 22, 1936, at St. Ansgar Hospital in Moorhead, MN to Elmer and Vivian (Poehls) Bakke. She was the first of six children. 

Loretta grew up in a small house on a farm which was situated on the Red River, close to Hickson, North Dakota. She had a full childhood, lots of chores and hard work - but not without some shenanigans. She and her siblings were best of friends, and at times, worst enemies, but always stuck together. Once when her younger brother was punished at the one room schoolhouse that they all attended in Hickson, he was forbidden to go outside for recess. All five of his siblings felt so bad for him they stayed inside with him. 

Loretta attended the one room schoolhouse in Hickson until 8th grade, then attended Moorhead High School while living with her grandparents Ernest and Mary Poehls. After graduation, Loretta attended Interstate Business College and started her career. She worked at Moorhead State College (MSUM), Sweeney Brothers, Westward Parts, Oxbow, K-Mart and Fleet Farm. She met her husband Ray Carlson while cruising Broadway in 1957 when he was home on leave from the Marine Corps. Ray was smitten right away - asking her to marry him after just a couple weeks. Loretta took longer to be convinced - so she agreed months later to marry him. They were married on November 1, 1958 - the same wedding anniversary day as Ray’s parents and grandparents.

Nine months later they welcomed their first child, Randy. They were blessed to have three more children in the next 12 years, Renee, Susan, and Amy. Mom always said she felt she had the perfect family. We felt so too. 

Loretta and Ray loved to travel and visited nearly all of the continental US, plus Hawaii, Mexico, Canada, Cayman Islands and Norway. Their favorite destination was probably Las Vegas - but her favorite trip was always Hawaii (despite the hurricane that hit the second day we were there), because it was our last family trip where we were all together. 

Loretta loved being with family and was especially close to her younger sister Kay. Fiercely independent, after Ray died in 2008, she managed the house with all the lawn care and chores for the next 11 years. She loved babies, animals, and helping others. You could never leave her house without something that she’d give you. 

Loretta leaves behind three children, Randy (Susie McDowell) Carlson, Susan (Steve) Bertsch and Amy (Jim Graff) Carlson; 12 grandchildren, Jessica (Tim) Halbakken, Molly (Mike) Johnson, Jessica (Cody) Skow, Courtney (Damon) Pautzke, Jared Schwandt, Nick Bertsch, Levi (Tiffany) Blinn, Denver Blinn, John O’Neill, Kit (Methas Kornpipatna) O’Neill, Lynne (Niko Babicic) O’Neill and Carly (Jack Wiedner) O’Neill; and 5 great-grandchildren, Palmer Halbakken, Sawyer Johnson, Josh Skow, Olivia Blinn and Uriah Pautzke. She also leaves behind her sisters Kay (Dave) Mahar, Gayle Brueske and brother Gary Bakke; in laws Ruth Carlson, Dave Mahar, Ina Bakke, and Gary (Marlys) Carlson, and many nieces and nephews. 

She was preceded in death by her husband Ray, daughter Renee, a still born son; siblings LaRue (Stenny) Flaa and Elroy Bakke; brothers in law, Stenny Flaa, Bob Carlson, Larry Brueske, and Charles Carlson; sister-in-law Karol Carlson; nephew Robert Carlson and parents Elmer and Vivian. A son-in-law, Kevin Kimber, also preceded her in death.

Loretta did not like being the center of attention, so she requested no funeral. Please remember her by the fond memories that you have. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Ethos Hospice or to help those with dementia through the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.