Arnold “Arn” Storbakken, 92

Arnold “Arn” Storbakken, age 92 of East Grand Forks, MN passed away on Friday, August 14, 2020 at his home with his family by his side.
Arnold Storbakken was born on March 18th, 1928 to Albert and Olga (Vensland) Storbakken, north of Oslo, MN in Oak Park Township. They moved to Bigwoods Township when he was 4 years old, where his parents purchased a farm. He was raised and went to school there. He helped his father with seeding and harvest until his father retired. He did Auto Body Repair work in the Grand Forks area for several years.

Arn married Clarice Fournier of Argyle, MN on November 26th, 1948. They had and raised six children in East Grand Forks, MN.

When his father retired, he operated equipment in the summer months and did body work in the winter months. Later on Arn did less body work to get away from the paint and grinding dust. When the Grand Forks Air Force Base started in the fifties, he joined the Operating Engineers Local 49. Over the next years he worked over most of Minnesota, North Dakota and parts of Montana. When the two youngest children who were twins, Peggy and Penny, graduated from high school, Clarice started to travel with Arnold to jobs he worked on. She loved going with and made a lot of new friends. The last 12 years he worked before retiring was in North Eastern Minnesota, North Shore of Duluth, the Arrowhead Area and Southern Minnesota, by Albert Lea and Austin.

Arn liked working with both wood and iron. He liked several types of music. Clarice’s favorite song when he played guitar was “Beautiful Dreamer”.

After Arnold retired and they had more time so they traveled to see their kids or where ever they cared to go. They like to take different routes or back road to see different places. Clarice would often say, “Arn do you know where we are”, he’d say No, but if we keep in the right direction we’ll get there”. Clarice would say, “Ok, I’ll drive you direct!”

Arnold has said we have to remember Tex. Tex was a big yellow German Shepard. Where they first lived the house was on the banks of the Red River. One day when Arn was about two he sneaked off. His dad headed for the river to look for him and there was Tex pulling him from the river.

Arnold has said, “My life with Clarice, you kids and the grandkids maybe wouldn’t have been if it wasn’t for a Big Yellow Dog named Tex!!”

Arnie is survived by his children, Arlene (Rodney) Holtman of East Grand Forks, MN, Alan of Champlain, MN, Yvonne (Clay) Bateman of Burien, WA, Cheryl Storbakken of East Grand Forks, MN, Peggy (Sid) Rumsey of Tucson, AZ, Penny (Dan) Pape of East Grand Forks, MN; 14 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandson; sister, Evelyn (Edmund) Kostryewski of Thief River Falls, MN; sisters-in-law, Margaret Storbakken, Dorothy Fournier and Deanna Storbakken.

Arn is preceded in death by his father and mother; wife Clairce Storbakken on September 3, 2004; brothers, Franklin, Rodney, Gary; and grandson, Ross Holtman.

Memorial Service: 3:00 PM on Saturday, August 22nd 2020 in Dahl Funeral Home, 2029 Central Ave. NW, East Grand Forks, MN

Visitation: 1:00-3:00 on Saturday also at the funeral home.

Inurnment: Memorial Park Cemetery ~ Grand Forks, ND

Memorials: In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Altru Hospice in Arnold’s honor.

Online Guestbook: www.dandahlfuneralhome.com

Arrangements By: Dahl Funeral Home ~ East Grand Forks, MN