An informal Service of Remembrance of Rolly Loken will be held Saturday, June 12, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. in Oak Valley Lutheran Church – Velva. Face coverings and social distancing are encouraged.

Rolland Loken, 90, longtime Velva business owner and civic leader died on March 28, 2020 in a Velva Care Center.

Rolland Virgil Loken was born on April 7, 1929 in Velva to Andrew M. and Elmyra (Aiken) Loken where he was raised. He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith and educated in the Velva Public School.

Rolland married Iona Hystad on June 25, 1953 at North Prairie Lutheran Church, rural Simcoe. They made their home in Velva where Rolly was employed at Krebsbach's IH dealership. He later was employed at Burgess Chevrolet and Implement Company and became part owner. In 1977, he was joined in ownership by Rod Loken and Vernon Wunderlich when the business became LW Chevrolet.  Rolly sold his interest in the business in 1981 and in 1982 he built a brick building near Main Street and owned and operated Rolly's Parts Center there until he retired in 1991.  Most importantly, he and Iona were blessed with four children, seven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren and a foreign exchange student daughter from Norway.

Rolly was a member of Oak Valley Lutheran Church where he served on the church council. He was a member of the Velva City Commission, Velva Park Board and Velva Clinic Board.  He was also a charter member of the Velva Lions Club.  He held membership in the Star City Golf Club and several heritage organizations.  He especially enjoyed participating in Velva bowling leagues, hunting, fishing, attending Velva sporting events, events of his children and grandchildren and golfing (carding a hole-in-one at the age of 79). Rolly also enjoyed traveling with family and friends and because he lived in Velva all his life he often would say he "never got out of town". However, he was fortunate to travel to Norway 4 times, visiting the birthplace of his paternal grandfather, as well as their Norwegian daughter and her family and many of Iona's relatives. He also traveled to Alaska, Washington DC and numerous places in the US and Canada.

Rolly's loving family includes his wife of 67 years, Iona; sons: Rodney (Marlys) Loken of Velva and Richard (Mary) Loken of Rochester, MN; daughters: Jackie Schmaltz of Velva and Lisa (Marty) Heim of North Salt Lake, Utah; foreign exchange student daughter Eirin Ruud (Snorre) Nordstrand of Norway and their children; grandchildren: Jennifer (Jon) Striha, Maggie (Ryan) Albrecht, Miranda (Erik) Lindstrom, Zachary, Bryce and Seth (Sarah) Loken, Kaiden Heim; great grandchildren: Emma and Carsten Striha, Lila and Isak Albrecht, Eloise and Olivia Lindstrom, Raegan Loken; sister-in-law: Elizabeth Loken of Velva and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Rolly was preceded in death by his parents, sisters: Anna Marie Loken, June Willoughby, Ella (Don) Stafford and brother Marvin Loken.

An informal Service of Remembrance of Rolly Loken will be held Saturday, June 12, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. in Oak Valley Lutheran Church – Velva. Face coverings and social distancing are encouraged.

A private family reviewal and later graveside service with burial of cremains were previously held due to the Coronavirus Pandemic.

The family acknowledges, with grateful thanks, the outpouring of condolences and memorial gifts at the time of Rolly's passing.  Now we remember with thanks to God for the 90 plus years he was granted and the times shared with family, friends and acquaintances.

Memorials are preferred to Oak Valley Lutheran Church - P.O. Box D - Velva, ND 58790 or Souris Valley Care Center - 300 South Main Street - Velva, ND 58790.

Livestream of the service held in September 2020 is available using https://www.mtmsales.net/thomas