Joan Marie (Stenslie) Bakke, 88, passed away March 2, 2026, at the Nelson County Health System Care Center in McVille, ND. 

Funeral Services will be held Saturday, March 7, 2026, at Sheyenne Lutheran Church, rural Pekin, ND, at 11:00 a.m. with visitation starting at 10:00 a.m. Burial will be at Sheyenne Lutheran Church Cemetery, in the spring.

Joan was the daughter of Harry Stenslie and Helen (Mentges) Stenslie Malo and was born at Providence Hospital in Washington D.C. After her parents divorced in 1944, Harry brought Joan and her brother, Charles, back to North Dakota, along with a new stepmother, where they endured an extremely challenging childhood. Joan attended country school until 8th grade and graduated from McVille High School in 1955. Later that summer, she moved to Fargo and worked as a long-distance telephone operator for Northwestern Bell Telephone Company. During that time, she was being courted by the most eligible bachelor in the county, Elmer Bakke. They married on September 30, 1956, at Sheyenne Lutheran Church and were married for 59 years. Joan and Elmer were active members of the parish, and both of their pioneer ancestor families were founding members of the first log church building, which required a donation of $5.00 and two logs.

Elmer and Joan operated the family farm, rural McVille, until retirement in 1991. She pursued many interests which included raising her beloved horses and Norwegian Elkhound puppies. She taught herself sewing, macrame, leather braiding, knitting, crocheting, and quilting. She was active in the Sheyenne Lutheran Church Ladies Aid and made many quilts, school kits, and baby layettes that were sent overseas. She was a member of the North Dakota Arabian Horse Association for many years serving as secretary and hostess of the hospitality booth for the annual horse show in Valley City.

Joan will be remembered in the community for serving gallons and gallons of the most delicious rommegrot at the Stump Lake Threshing Bee and for her beautiful flower garden at the farm, which was included in many area garden tours.

Due to the effects of dementia, Joan entered the Nelson County Health System Care Center in June 2023. Joan’s family expresses the utmost recognition of the loving staff who are well-trained in dementia care and were so attentive to her needs as the disease progressed.

Joan is survived by three children: Mark Bakke, Augusta, GA, Brian (Jannet) Bakke, Rochester, MN, and Susan (Stephen) Braun, McVille, ND, fifteen grandchildren: Karin Bakke, William Bakke, and Matthew Bakke; Brent (Juliann) Richardson, Ramsey Phibbs, Jenna (Chris) Gorman, and Sonia Mizell; Andrea (Jake) Brooks, Kjersti (Jason) Eilers, Stefan (Sarah) Braun, Joseph Braun, Maria (Grayden) Bach, Austin Braun, Timothy (Adriana) Braun, and Anthony Braun: and thirty great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, stepmother, husband, an infant daughter, and brother, Charles Stenslie.

Memorials in Joan’s honor may be given to the Nelson County Health System Foundation, PO Box 506, McVille, ND 58254.