Thief River Falls – Harriet Kiesow, 88, passed away on Tuesday, December 26, 2017 at Thief River Care Center in Thief River Falls with her loving family at her bedside.
Funeral services were held on Friday December 29, 2017 at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls. Burial will be held at Jerusalem Cemetery.
Harriet Arlene Bakke was born on December 7, 1929 in International Falls, the second child of Alfred C. and Hattie (Holmestad) Bakke. She grew up in International Falls, Spruce Grove Township in Beltrami County northeast of Grygla, and in Thief River Falls and attended school in the Grygla area.
On January 13, 1948, she married August Henry Kiesow in the parsonage at Mavie in Pennington County, by Pastor M.A Uhlig. Harriet and August raised two sons to manhood on the family farm in Moylan and Espelie Townships, Gary August and Ricky Dale.
Harriet worked as an aide at the Mercy Hospital in Thief River Falls. While working as a waitress at the Rex Café, she was introduced to her future husband by her co-worker and friend, Theresa Mutnansky, August’s cousin. Later on, she worked in the kitchen at The Steak Knife II in Grygla.
Harriet’s married life was spent working side by side with August on the family farm in Moylan and Espelie Townships, Marshall County, where she preferred spending time outdoors with the animals and driving tractor to cooking and housework.
Harriet was taught to make the traditional German foods, at the Kiesow homestead, by her mentor and dear friend Grace Kiesow.
Harriet and August loved to go square dancing and visiting with neighbors. She also enjoyed going snowmobiling with the Wilkens, Erickson, and Hanson families where they would have winter picnics in the woods.
She was a member of the Bethel German Lutheran Church and later the Grace Lutheran Church in Grygla.
In May 2004, Harriet moved to the Mar-Bel apartments in Grygla. Later, she moved to Greenleaf Assisted Living and then in 2016 to Valley Home Memory Care in Thief River Falls. In August of 2017, she moved to the Thief River Care Center. New friendships were made with residents and staff at each of these places.
Survivors include son Gary (Julie) Kiesow, grandson Trevor (Keri) Kiesow, great-grandsons Jaden and Levi Kiesow all of Moylan Township in Marshall County, brothers Robert of Westminster, CO, Arlen (Bernice) of Yukon, OK, Byron of Faribault, sisters Donna (Hank Bach) Martinson, Mercedes, TX, Patricia (Ronald) Braaten of Thief River Falls, and several nieces and nephews.
Harriet was preceeded in death by her husband August in March of 1987, son Ricky Dale in January of 1987, parents Alfred and Hattie, August’s parents Otto and Emma, brother Charles, sisters Marion Bakke and Jean Andress, brothers-in-law Donald Martinson, Richard Jorgenson, Snarie Tvedten, Lawrence Benson, Hjelmer Hanson, sisters-in-law Kinko Bakke, Vivian Bakke, Alice Bakke, Gladys Kiesow Tvedten, Florence Kiesow Benson, Edna Kiesow Hanson and special friend Melvin Hagen.
Harriet’s family would like to thank all of her caregivers who have touched her life the past few years.
Memorials are suggested to Jerusalem Poplar Grove Cemetery or Hospice of the Red River Valley.
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