Earl Bakken

Medtronic co-founder Earl E. Bakken, a pioneer in medical technology whose inventions impacted the lives of millions of people around the world, passed away Sunday October 21 2018 in Hawaii. He was 94 years old. Bakken turned a childhood fascination with electricity into Medtronic, the world’s largest medical device company in 1949. Along with brother-in-law Palmer J. Hermundslie, Bakken founded the company, which grew from a struggling operation in a Minneapolis garage to a multinational medical technology corporation. In the late 1950’s, Bakken developed the first external, wearable, battery-powered, transistorized heart pacemaker, and commercialized the first implantable pacemaker in 1960. After serving as a radar instructor in World War II, Bakken earned a degree in electrical engineering at the University of Minnesota. Bakken was at the helm for 40 years, retiring as Medtronic chairman in 1989. Bakken was born to Florence and Osval Bakken on January 10, 1924, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is survived by his wife, Doris J. Bakken, sister Marjorie Andersen of Avon, IN, children Wendy Watson and husband Warren of New Brighton, MN, Jeff Bakken and wife, Linda Shaw of Orono, MN, Bradley Bakken and wife Mary of Orono, MN, Pamela Petersmeyer and husband Jeff of Prior Lake, MN, step-children Ramona West of Waikoloa, HI, and David Marshall and wife Linda of Rice, MN, eleven grandchildren, three step-grandchildren, and eight step-great-grandchildren.