Kenneth Lynn Bakken, a beloved physician, public health scientist, pastor, and international speaker, passed away on October 13, 2024 in Seattle, Washington, leaving behind a legacy of healing, ministry, and scholarship. He was 76 years old.
Dr. Bakken was born in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and pursued a lifelong passion for education and service. After earning his B.A. from Pacific Lutheran University in 1969, he studied at the University of Washington and later completed his D.O. degree at University of Health Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kansas City, Missouri in 1976. He interned in Seattle and pursued further training at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where he earned his Dr.P.H. and specialized in preventive and international public health, conducting fieldwork in Guatemala and Ghana.
Throughout his career, he combined medicine and ministry, practicing in the Seattle and Tacoma areas with a focus on pain management. He was ordained a pastor having studied at Luther Seminary and served as a part-time pastor for 12 years at St. Andrew's Parish, and he was the founder and president of HealthVision International, a ministry promoting whole-person care and spiritual wellness. He authored three books to help guide others toward healing and transformation.
Known for his vocal presence and charisma at dinner parties, he also found joy in daily swims, beach cruiser rides, and Nordic noir reads. He cherished his Norwegian roots and resided with his wife of 55 years, Theresa Appelö Bakken, in Ballard, Washington, where they enjoyed watching local sea life and boats. Together, they raised one son, Trygve, a neuroscientist.
His memory will live on in the hearts of Theresa, Trygve, siblings Paul and Sonja, family, friends, colleagues, and the many communities he served throughout the world. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donation to the American Field Service.
