Bradlee E. Bakke, age 62, of Eden Prairie died March 11, 2024 at Fairview Southdale Hospital. Celebration of Life Gathering 12 PM – 3 PM Saturday, April 13th at East Bethel Senior Center, 2241 221st Ave NE, East Bethel. Luncheon provided. Burial will follow at Oak Leaf Cemetery.
Bradlee Edward Bakke was born December 20, 1961 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Orville and Marjorie (Tappe) Bakke. He graduated from St. Francis High School in 1980 and then studied to be an Electronic Technician in Kansas City. Brad has lived in Eden Prairie since 1987. He worked at Rosemount Company, a division of Emerson Process Management for 20 years. Brad loved playing his guitar, going to rock concerts, the horse track and casinos, bowling, golfing, cooking, watching sports, especially the Vikings, and watching Marx Brothers movies. He had a great sense of humor and was a connoisseur of old person/dad jokes.
Brad passed away March 11, 2024 at Fairview Southdale Hospital at the age of 62 years, 2 months and 20 days. He was preceded in death by his parents, Orville and Marjorie.
He will be lovingly remembered by his daughters, Allison (Matt) Bakke and Kellie Bakke (Blake); grandson, Kaden; brother, Russell (Kristine) Bakke; and by many other relatives and friends.
Losing a loved one, particularly a parent, embodies an extraordinarily profound and heart-wrenching journey. It is with a heavy heart that we recognize this sorrowful reality for two remarkable young women, Kellie and Allison. In the wake of such loss, words often feel inadequate, yet it’s through shared memories and enduring love that the essence of those we’ve lost continues to touch our lives.
Though we did not have the privilege of knowing your father during his lifetime, we find ourselves deeply fortunate to witness his enduring legacy through you, his daughters, and his grandson. It is a testament to his spirit that, in each of you, his qualities—his warmth, resilience, and joy—live on vibrantly. Every smile you share, every tear you shed, and every moment of joy you experience are threads in the rich tapestry of your father’s legacy, a legacy that has beautifully expanded to include three remarkable lives.
Brad –
We first really got to know each other in Junior year in Electronics class. Remember Mr. Stinky Breath, the teacher? I swear he ate a dead squirrel then smoked a cigarette and followed it with stale coffee. EW. Lots of fun there creating the next electronic gadget that would “take over the world”! We both learned that this was something we could make a career out of.
We struck out together, heading south to Kansas City for education. You were much better disciplined than I was, you got the better grades. You worked at Arby’s, I worked at Hardee’s. We went through a mean drunk roommate and one very weird drugged-up one too. Girlfriends came into our lives – and then they were gone, you helped me through a breakup or two.
I won’t forget heading down to the bar Friday nights to drink that cheap 3.2 beer a pitcher at a time – remember the year the Royals *almost* won the world series? It’s a good thing the bar was only ½ mile walk back home, some nights we almost couldn’t find our way back.
You loaned me money to get my first car, we wrote the most ridiculous promissory note. I wrecked that car and sold it off long before I ever completed payment to you. That AMC Gremlin of yours was a blast, the rear hatch never worked, but it provided easy in/out access for the rear passengers. Driving down the street shooting bottle rockets from the windows was fun, until one went off in the car!
Don’t forget the afternoon we went driving through the rich & snobby part of KC in the fall, snatching leaf bags from the sidewalks and dragging them alongside the car until they burst and left a mess in the pristine intersections. I’m surprised we were not arrested for that.
You earned your technician’s certificate after 18 months, then headed back to Minnesota. I stayed for the full 3-year Bachelor’s degree. You found a good job quickly; I struggled finding my place until 6 years after graduating I found my opportunity here in Kansas City.
We both met our future wives; we both raised our families, and we also grew apart. We did keep in touch, letting each other know how our lives are progressing. I’d come to visit you, we would go out to the track and bet on the horses. You always managed to come out ahead, I just didn’t have the knack for it.
Time always moves on, we lost touch for a long while, with an occasional random text to each other or a Facebook post. I wish I had realized earlier what was happening to you, I missed talking with you. Life comes at us sideways sometimes and before we know it, our time is up. I cherish all the memories I have of you.
Farewell buddy, you are missed.
– Dave
Thank you everyone who were able to make it to Brad’s memorial. For those who were not able to attend, we had a slideshow of many photos and some video. You can find it here:
https://youtu.be/ogc4c33ehYU?si=_uLimjNHSAj8E1Ya