Kent Larry Bakken

Kent Larry Bakken, 53, of Houston, Texas, was called home by his creator on February 12, 2022.

Kent was born in Bismarck, North Dakota to Larry and Darlene (Bauer) Bakken on their first wedding Anniversary which was September 22, 1968.  He was raised in Stanton, North Dakota and graduated from Stanton High School in 1986.

After high school Kent attended the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota.  It was there that he drew upon his brief experience volunteering in high school with a local Ambulance Department and transitioned that interest into a professional career in the field of being a Paramedic.  Kent served the Bismarck and Fargo, North Dakota, communities for a number of years before he felt ready to move to the high risk high stress big city Ambulance crews in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  It was not uncommon for Kent to tell stories of their crew going into gang infested areas and rescuing injured individuals involved in turf disputes, and some of those rescues resulted in dangerous situations for all involved in their quest to save a life and help people.  Tulsa was his home for many years and he advanced from Paramedic to eventually owning his own Medical Emergency Service Company.  The friendships formed in this chapter of Kent’s life still hold strong today with lifelong bonds that survived decades and geographical distance.  Kent’s commitment to caring for people later led him to transition his tenured experience as a big city Paramedic into the field of a medical contract work.  He supported and assisted the US Government overseas serving alongside military troops in many countries (including war zones) where many times Kent risked his own life to save other lives.  Kent was brave in ways that most of us cannot imagine.

In 2010 Kent began the final chapter of his very unique professional career again transitioning his talents and skills to the OSHA safety industry.  This field was a perfect platform for Kent that show cased his desire to care for others while relying on his deep understanding of medical risks involved when safety processes are not enforced.  It is unknown how many life changing accidents never occurred because part of his DNA wiring always lead him to protect others.  The OSHA field involved moving (his residence) a lot which is when he decided to make a 35 foot camper his home base and began exploring our great country that he loved some much.  The list of Kent’s OSHA safety accreditations and accelerated high level credentials is impressive.  You are invited to read his LinkedIn page which lists out his journey of learning, setting goals and successfully achieving elite professional levels.  His credentials serve as outstanding visual evidence for all of us to celebrate his extraordinary efforts and determination to keep learning and expanding his skills through his entire life.  Kent’s long time boss Lee Hart remembers him with pride as “the guy” that he would call for his toughest construction site builds with the companies who take compliance on their build sites to an extreme level.  This faith in Kent was well founded based upon his working knowledge of the complex safety regulations while also possessing the bravery needed to administer the rules on site with very large construction crews. 

Another form of bravery Kent exhibited was his fearless ability to drive his beautiful F-450 King Ranch Ford dual axel pickup truck (with an extended box and upgraded Ambulance package for safe backing up audio signals) while pulling his 35 foot 5th wheel camper (his home) across pretty much every southern state in the USA.  Encountering traffic jams in some of the largest cities and weaving through eight lanes of traffic in cities he had never driven through before while pulling his world behind him.  Kent had an inner confidence that made it possible for him to live this adventurous lifestyle moving city to city as the job sites changed locations which also meant continually having to locate a new parking spot for his home.  The cycle of new job site and having to set up and take down his home, only to complete the job and then pack up the home to move onto the next location, requires both bravery and a willingness to embrace and adapt to constant change.

Kent’s life can be summed up as a life of service.  His integrity and delivery of safe construction sites will live on for decades.  Across this country there are thousands of families enjoying their loved ones today, in part, because of Kent.  Crews who survived working on high rise towers and job site that are filled with potential risk of catastrophic injury which Kent effectively managed so as to keep his crews safe.  That said there are also thousands of lives that Kent helped save and care for in his years as a Paramedic and contract Medic.  These are facts that are remarkable about Kent which deserves honorable recognition and celebration by all of us whose life he touched.

One personal interest that Kent had was cooking.  His love of cooking started as a child learning how to cook from his beloved Grandmother Isabelle.  When Kent looked up at his Grandmother the sun rose and set in his eyes.  She was so special to him and he was special to her and they shared a very unique and deep love.  Through his whole life Kent enjoyed cooking very large quantities of food always preparing enough portions to share generously at home or on his job sites.  If Kent came to visit your home he would usually be the self-appointed chef for the time he was your guest.  His range of cooking spanned from traditional dishes to adventures into new recipes, but you can be sure there was always Crisco near and his big happy smile because the kitchen was his happy place.  While he was your house guest if your kitchen did not have supplies or the pans he liked to use he would say “Hey, I’ll be right back I’m heading to Wal-Mart” and off he would go to the nearest store to buy everything (except the kitchen sink haha!) and happily return with bags of supplies and then get to work cooking for hours and hours with JOY in his heart preparing his masterpiece creations.

Kent nurtured and spoiled his only niece and nephew while treating them to fishing and snowboarding adventures of which he had no interest in himself.  He just wanted to see them enjoying things they liked to do. 

Kent cared for all of his many friends and family, but the love of his life was his precious incredible tiny wonder dog known as his little Miss Mila. She was his trusted best friend and many joked that the two of them were ‘co-dependent’ because they needed each other equally.  If Kent went anywhere Mila came with.  If Kent left the room Mila would not bark but she would lock her eyes on the door he had exited through and sit and whimper anxiously waiting for him to return through that same door.  Mila was spoiled in the good sense of the word, and she deserved it because she was the most loyal loving gentle friend he could have had.  Miss Mila was by Kent’s side until his very last breath on this earth before he went to join his Lord and Savior and take the hand of his beloved Mother Darlene and walk through Heaven’s gates to a new life of peace where he was reunited with family and friends who were waiting to greet him and welcome him home.

Kent was preceded in death by his mother, Darlene Bakken, grandparents Albert and Frieda Bauer, Gilman and Isabelle Bakken, cousins Brad Kramer and Jeremy Goetz, aunt Shirley (Cecil) Kramer and uncles, Jim Bakken and Jerry Bakken.

Kent is survived by and will be so deeply missed by his Father Larry; sister and brother-in-law Kristi and Jamie Studinski; nieces and nephews Madison (Ben) Hirst, Seth Tosseth, Jessica (Josh) Wendorf and Josh Studinski and fiancé’ Hayala Mota.  Close family members Eldon (Carol) Joersz, Devon (Jim) Goetz, Terry (Laurie), Randy (Melissa), Danny (Dianne), Judy Bakken; Linda (Ron) Kendall, Joanne Kelly, Dianna Bossert, Bonnie (Myron) Harsh along with many cousins; as well as by so many great friends from all over this country.

The family would like to express heart felt appreciation and a debt of gratitude to Kent’s dear friends Wayne Duncan and Lee Hart who were truly like Brothers to him in his life time on earth and have been instrumental in helping settle his final affairs and honor his legacy in the days following his passing.  This includes Wayne adopting Miss Mila for his 8 year old Grandson, Anthony, to treasure and care for, and also for going well above and beyond including supporting the funeral and final arrangements.  This also included coordinating a formal Police motorcycle escort of Kent’s remains in honor of his years when he was working as a medic for the U.S. Government.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday February 23rd, 2022 from 1pm to 2pm. Services for Kent will be available for virtual attendance, and we welcome and invite everyone to join.  https://www.vazquezfuneralhome.com/listings

Later this year there will also be a graveside prayer and burial of Kent’s ashes to be held in New Salem, North Dakota.  Details for the graveside burial will be announced later this spring.