Arlean “Babe” (Bakken) Stadheim, 99 passed away on April 9, 2023 at St. Johns Lutheran Campus in Albert Lea, MN. A Memorial service will be held 10:30am on Friday April 21, 2023 at the East Freeborn Lutheran Church, with a visitation held an hour before the service. The burial will be a private family event at another date. Pastor Matt Griggs will be officiating.

Arlean “Babe” (Bakken) Stadheim

Arlean was born on August 15, 1923 to Hakon and Jorgema (Seim) Bakken in Albert Lea. She was baptized at the Central Freeborn Lutheran Church and confirmed at the East Freeborn Lutheran Church. Growing up north of Albert Lea, she attended School District #137. She met the love of her life, Stanley Luverne Stadheim, and married him on July 24th, 1943 at the Central Freeborn Lutheran Church. Together, they had five children.

She was a member of the Circles at Central and East Freeborn, the Ladies Aid/Quilting group, and a Sunday School teacher. Her hobbies included cross-stitch, putting puzzles together, and fishing trips to Sunset Beach and Crane Lake. She also took many trips to California to visit her sister. She loved to bake cookies, making and selling lefse, milking the cows, helping out on the farm, and spending time with her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.

Arlean is survived by her children Charles (Nancy) Stadheim, Ron (Julie) Stadheim, Mary (Dennis) Jensen, Nancy (Dennis) Mattson, and Sandy (Jon) Larson; 13 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren, and 5 great-great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her husband Stanley Stadheim, parents Hakon and Jorgema (Seim) Bakken, granddaughter April Sorensen, along with many cherished relatives.

The family would like to thank the wonderful staff at St. John’s-Knutson Place, The Skilled Nursing at St. John’s and Mayo Clinic Hospice. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the East Freeborn Cemetery Fund, or donor’s choice.