George Ann Bakke

GEORGE ANN BAKKE

Iowa City

George Ann Bakke died peacefully at Highland Ridge Care Center on Dec. 11, 2021. She had suffered from dementia.

George Ann was born Nov. 3, 1933, to Florence and Gordon Decker in St. Louis, Mo. She graduated high school in San Angelo, Texas, and attended college there. After college, she became a flight attendant with Trans Texas and Eastern Airlines. She married the love of her life, Charles Bakke in July of 1962. They were parents to six children. Charlie was an executive with Santa Fe Rail Road and with that they lived in California, Illinois and Texas. George Ann was very active in her children's activities and her community. She was VP of Murphy Ranch Little League, where her five boys all played baseball. She also was VP of Ocean View PTA in Whittier, Calif., where she organized their first school library. When Charlie retired, they moved to Salado, Texas, and, in 1993, moved to Iowa to be closer to their daughter, Suzanne.

George Ann was a loving devoted mother and grandmother. She loved to travel and went to Ireland with her husband and returned home to California often to see her sons, but even more importantly her grandchildren who lived there. She was very well read, and intelligent, no one could beat her at Scrabble. She loved her children and grandchildren and bragged about them to everyone who would listen. She will be missed, yet the family is comforted that she now is at peace and lived a full life until recently.

She is survived by her children, Robert (Deya) California, Mickey (Bridget) California, Daniel (Iowa), Brian (Mary) Illinois and Suzanne (Tom) Iowa; 17 grandchildren, Ilya, Adrian, Kristen, Grace, Brianna, Lisa, Lauryl, Kyle, David, Patrick, Meghan, William, Mary, Eleanor, Oliver, Annie and Mitchell; and 12 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Charlie; daughter, Jennifer; and son, Patrick.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Highland Ridge Memory Unit for their compassionate and devoted care to George Ann. The staff there are just amazing and even with Covid visitor restrictions the family was secure in the knowledge that she was in the best place she could be.

She was cremated per her wishes.

A service to honor her memory will be held at a date to be determined. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial to Safe Haven Animal Rescue of Iowa County. To share a thought, memory or condolence, please visit the funeral home website at www.gayandciha.com.