Jerome L. Bakken, age 85, of Grand Forks, ND, passed away on Thursday, October 2, 2025, at his home.

Jerome Lee Bakken was born on October 15, 1939, in Sharon, ND, the son of Clarence and Bella (Docken) Bakken. Jerome grew up in Sharon and graduated from Sharon High School with the Class of 1958. He joined the United States Army in 1958, where he was stationed in Germany before being honorably discharged in 1961.  He would return to Germany many more times, most recently in 2019, and had a deep appreciation for the country and its chocolate.

Following his service career, he attended the University of North Dakota, where he earned a master's degree in German, followed later by a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. He taught German at UND for nearly four decades, also running the language lab in Merrifield Hall, before retiring in 2006.

On June 10, 1972, he was united in marriage to Teresa Westrem in East Grand Forks, MN. They were married until her death in 2020. It's rare to meet individuals as kind and gentle as Jerry and Terry each were, much less a pair of them together.

In memory of Jerome, please sit down and read a book about history, take photos of wildflowers or sunsets, plan a train trip, or eat some chocolate, pie, cookies, ice cream, cake, or chocolate.

Family members who survive Jerome include his daughter Anne Bakken (Kevin Dobmeier) of Ambler, PA, and several nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his wife Teresa Bakken; son, Steven Bakken; brothers Bruce and Richard; and an infant sister.

Funeral Service: 2:00 PM on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at Our Savior's Lutheran Church, 1515 5th Ave. NW, East Grand Forks, MN

Visitation: One hour prior to Funeral Service on Tuesday in Our Savior's Lutheran Church

Interment and Committal Service: 10:30 AM on Wednesday, October 8, at Westfield Silent Hill Cemetery, Sharon, ND