Mary Helen Bakken

Mary Helen (Ruud) Bakken, age 70, went to be with Jesus on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2017. She passed away due to complications from lung cancer.

Services will be in Havre on Saturday, Jan. 28, at 1 p.m. at Messiah Lutheran Church, with an additional service and burial at Pleasant Prairie Church, south of Flaxville, Mont., on Monday, Jan. 30, at 11 a.m.

She was born in Scobey, Mont., on Feb. 20, 1946, to Carl and Laura Ruud, and raised on the family farm homestead south of Flaxville, Mont. She graduated from Scobey High School in 1964, and briefly attended the University of Montana in Missoula. She was so in love however, she needed to return to Scobey to be near her dear Irv. She then married that wonderful man from Opheim, Robert Irving Bakken, at Pleasant Prairie Church, on Feb. 19, 1966. They made their home in Opheim, where she later became the bookkeeper and office manager for 24 years at Northern Electric Co-Op, working there until retiring in 2005. She and Irv then moved to Havre, Mont., where they enjoyed their retirement together. She enjoyed playing the piano and organ, oil painting, sewing, playing Keno machines, looking at recipes on Facebook, and just relaxing with friends and family. She was a strong advocate and supporter for the many activities of her daughters and granddaughters, and always imparted her foundation of faith with those who needed it.

Preceding her in death are her parents, Carl and Laura Ruud.

Survivors include her husband of 50 years, Robert Irving Bakken; two daughters, Lisa Rochin and her husband, Mark, of Polson, and Sharlyn Bakken of Havre; a sister, Lilla Barsness of Scobey; a brother, Norman Ruud and his wife, Elaine, of Billings; three granddaughters, Laura, Taylor and Megan; one great-granddaughter, Brinley; a grandpuppy, Spencer; a niece and several nephews.