LAURIE ANN BOKN

Laurie A. Bokn, 49 of Devils Lake, ND passed away early morning, May 23, 2012 at Heartland Care Center with family and friends at her bedside. Funeral Services for Laurie will be held on Saturday, May 26, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. at Our Saviors Lutheran Church, Devils Lake with Rev. Jamie Desai officiating. Burial will be in the Scandinavia Cemetery, rural Webster, ND. Friends may call at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Friday from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. and at the church on Saturday one hour prior to the funeral service. Serving as Honorary Bearers for Laurie will be Bill and DiAnna Wanschaffe, Kevin and Donna Wolf and Jana Wold. Music will be provided by Donovan Foughty, vocalist and Lynda Pearson, pianist. Laurie Ann was born on September 27, 1962 in Devils Lake, ND the daughter of John and Beverly (Magnuson) Larson. She grew up in the Webster area, attended Starkweather Public School and graduated from Starkweather High School on May 18, 1980. (The day Mount St. Helens erupted.) Laurie would make the Lake Region her home for most of her life. Laurie attended college at UND and at Rapid City, South Dakota where she met John Arnaud. They were married in Lake Charles, Louisiana in 1982 and made Louisiana their home for a year. Laurie returned to North Dakota in 1984 and graduated from Lake Region Junior College. She began working at the Ramsey County Courthouse for the Ramsey County Highway Department and for the past 15 plus years Laurie has served as the Deputy Clerk of Court, where she worked until the time of her death. In 1990, Laurie met Dale Bokn and they shared a wonderful life together. They were united in marriage on March 24, 2004 in Jamaica. Laurie loved to cook and family and friends enjoyed many gourmet feasts she prepared. If Laurie could have made Jamaica her permanent home, it would have been perfect. She loved the beach, water, sand and sun when ever and where ever she could find it, which equated into her love of travel. But Laurie’s most “awesome moment” was when she became a grandmother. We have lost someone so very special to us and to so many. We will hold her memory in our hearts forever. Laurie is survived by her husband, Dale; son Derek (Tabitha) Arnaud of Kindred, North Dakota; daughter Ali Jo Bokn of Devils Lake; grandson Vincent Arnaud; mother Bev Larson, Devils Lake; niece Ashley Larson of Isanti, Minnesota; mother-in-law Gloria Schlittenhart also of Devils Lake; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law Dave Bokn, Bismarck, ND, Ben French, Fargo, ND, Olivia Eagen and Ryan (Ashley) Bokn all of Devils Lake and Sheila Lura of Valley City, ND and several aunts, uncles and cousins. Laurie was preceded in death by her Dad John; brother Bruce Larson; grandparents John and Inga Magnuson and Herb and Wilma Larson and aunt Joni Berg.