Ione E. Lautt

Ione E. Lautt, 91, Grand Forks, ND, passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Valley Senior Living on Columbia Road with family by her side.

Ione Evangeline Brokke was born October 30, 1933, in rural Thompson, ND, on the family farm, the daughter of Targie and Karen (Haugen) Brokke. She was raised in Thompson and Grand Forks. As a young girl, she helped on the family farm with potato planting and harvesting.

Ione married Floyd Embree, Jr., on August 9, 1955, at Reno, NV. Together they had one daughter, Yvonne, and resided in Kingston, NY. Floyd passed away on April 16, 1960, in Kingston, NY.

After returning to North Dakota, Ione worked for Whitey’s Restaurant in East Grand Forks, MN, and for the Deaconess Hospital of Grand Forks. Ione later married Ardell Lautt on August 17, 1968, at Grand Forks, ND. She spent the next number of years raising their three sons, Mark, Paul, and James, in addition to her daughter. Ardell passed away on March 14, 1984. Ione began working in the dietary department of Valley Memorial Home on Almonte. She also worked for many years at Tufte Manor, retiring at the age of 85 in 2019.

Ione enjoyed family time of any kind and was especially active in attending events of her children and grandchildren. She also enjoyed gardening and flowers, country music, Bingo, and was a fan of the Minnesota Twins. Proud of her Norwegian heritage, she enjoyed making lefse and potato dumplings from recipes handed down to her from her ancestors. She was also very content to be at home, maybe putting a puzzle together or watching an old television show.

Survivors include her children, Yvonne Kilgore, Paul (Jodie) Lautt, and James (Miya) Lautt, all of Grand Forks; daughter-in-law, Pam Lautt, Grand Forks; grandchildren, Kelly (Janelle) Kilgore, Travis Kilgore, Katie Kilgore, Chris (Jordan) Lautt, Amber Lautt, and Brynna Lautt; great grandchildren, Hudson, Charliegh, Taylor, Ava, Elizabeth, Beckett, Maddie, Mason, Natalie, and Jackson; brother, Lawrence (Jeanette) Brokke, Grand Forks; sister-in-law, Esther Brokke, Grand Forks; and son-in-law, Frank Kilgore, Grand Forks.

Ione was preceded in death by her two husbands, Floyd Embree, Jr., and Ardell Lautt; son, Mark Lautt; and siblings, Bennie, Olaf, Vernon, Clifford,  Carrie, Annie, Thordis, Ruben, Harold, and Raymond.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 AM on Monday, April 21, 2025, at United Lutheran Church of Grand Forks. Visitation will be one hour before the service in the church. Burial will be at the East Walle Lutheran Cemetery, rural Thompson, ND.