Edward Alan Lokken's Obituary
He was born on November 12, 1944, at St. Helens General Hospital (on 4th Street). His parents were Kathryn Frances Streit (Hampton, Iowa) and Eldred Hallace Lokken (Minnesota). He passed away Wednesday, October 3, at Good Samaritan Hospital. He was 73 (he would have turned 74 on November 12th).
Ed attended St. Frederic’s Grade School and graduated from St. Helens High School in 1963. He went directly to work at the papermill then owned by Crown Zellerbach, later becoming Boise Cascade in 1964. After some time on the extra board, he moved to the Maintenance Department and spent the rest of his career as a journeyman millwright. His last day of work was September 13, 1989 when he joined the ranks of retirees.
He and his former wife, Sherry Shadley, had two sons, James and Mark Lokken. They later divorced, and he married Judy L Mansavage on May 13, 1987 in Reno.
Survivors include wife, Judy, sons Mark (Alyssia) Lokken and James (Brandy) Lokken, and Judy’s son, Tyler (Dawn) Thompson. Other survivors include Ed’s sisters, Sue Scholl and Sharon Williams, seven grandchildren, four great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Ed is most remembered in St. Helens for his love of fireworks and the annual St. Helens Fireworks Show from Sand Island. Thousands of people gathered every year on the 4th of July to enjoy Ed’s pyrotechnic expertise. In 2015, the City of St. Helens declared it “Ed Lokken” Day and named the 4th of July show in his honor.
In his younger years, Ed loved trap shooting and hunting. His favorite fishing spot was out of Chinook, Wa., where he was known as “Up River Ed”.
Even in death, Ed continued giving by donating his body to the OHSU Foundation to further cancer research for others. Ed received radiation/chemotherapy treatment at Compass Oncology in Portland, and always volunteered to have extra blood draws for research.
A celebration of life will be held Sunday, November 4, noon to 4 p.m. at the St. Helens Elks. Friends so wishing may make memorial contributions to the Columbia Humane Society, P. O. Box 845, St. Helens, OR. 97051.
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