Hal James Bakker, 53, of Walker, died Thursday, Feb. 8, 2007, at his home after a courageous battle with Lou Gehrig's disease.
A funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Walker with the Rev. Daniel Burns officiating. A visitation will be held from 4-8 p.m. Sunday at the Thomas-Dennis Funeral Home of Walker. Burial will follow in Turtle Lake Cemetery.
He was born on Jan. 22, 1954, to Henry and Helen Bennett Bakker in Park Rapids. He grew up in Walker, graduated from Walker High School and went on to attend Thief River Falls Vocational-Technical School. He married Marie Klein on Aug. 4, 1973, in Walker. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1973-1977, and lived in Biloxi, Miss., and Finley, N.D., before returning to Walker. He worked for Oak Grove Dairy for 19 and a half years, was the dairy manager at Bieloh's Family Foods and was also a dairy manager for Wal-Mart.
His special interests included reading, gardening and Boy Scouts. He loved the outdoors, and even after his own boys were out of Scouts, he continued to serve and loved winter camping with them each year. He especially enjoyed canoeing and swimming, motorcycling, snowmobiling, camping and hunting. He especially loved his granddaughter. Particularly characteristic of him was his faith in God, and his zeal for knowledge, life and family.
He is survived by his wife; sons, Travis (Mary) Bakker and Wade (Kaitlin) Bakker; a granddaughter; his father; brothers, Hilton (Terri) Bakker and Hadley (Lori) Bakker; and nieces and nephews.
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He was preceded in death by his mother, grandparents and many aunts and uncles.
