Leslie ""Les"" Braaten, 68, of Hettinger, ND passed away at the West River Regional Medical Center in Hettinger on Saturday, October 12, 2013.

Funeral services will be Tuesday, October 15, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. at the Hettinger Lutheran Church. Visitation will be from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Monday, October 14 at the Centennial Chapel of Evanson Jensen Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service at the Lutheran Church on Tuesday morning.

Leslie Dean ""Les"" Braaten was born July 9, 1945 at the Springer Hospital in Hettinger, ND. He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith, some might even say, ""He was dyed in the wool Lutheran."" His early education was at Hettinger, then pursuing a bachelor degree in History/Political Science from Concordia College at Moorehead, MN. While living in Minneapolis his roommate introduced Les to Donna Haglund, who on December 5, 1969 became his wife and mother of his children. To this union Lisa M. and Thomas L. were born. With Donna's passing from an aneurysm in 1993, when home to visit family, his ""little"" sister, Colette introduced him to her friend Linda. Les and Linda were married April 9, 1994.

Les loved his Heavenly Father and his family. Family was of upmost importance to him, with the many miles separating his family in Iowa, the cell phone and the yearly visits were a priority to him. An avid sports fan, Les followed the NightHawks (Black Devils), Iowa Hawkeyes, NASCAR (Jimmie Johnson), the LA Lakers, the MN Vikings and the MN Twins. His other interests included astronomy, coin collecting, reading, politics, a good game of pinochle and single-malt scotch. Some of us had the unique experience of Scotch 101 with Les. Uff Dah! (He also was proud of his Scandinavian heritage.)

As a young man Les entered the work force as a service station attendant after school and on weekend at the Bob Fitch Standard Station. Down the road of employment, in Minneapolis, Les was a cook and eventual a manager of a Country Kitchen. Leaving the ""grease"" and Minneapolis behind, he pursued a job with FOK travelling as a plan-a-grammer for the Target Stores, then to Phar-Mor as an assistant manger. Leaving Iowa, Les' first employment was at the Superpumper convenience store in Hettinger, of which he later became manager under the name of Kum N Go. He retired from Kum N Go in 2011. Retirement he couldn't do, within 3 months he found a job at Killdeer Mountain Manufacturing, later Jack and Jill, and Kennedy's Fine Foods.

Les will be remembered as an honest, kind and loving friend to all who knew him. His thoughtfulness and smile will be missed.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife Linda Weaver Braaten, Hettinger, ND; daughter Lisa (Will) Hartke and her daughters Sarah J. Wheeler and Emily R. Wheeler, Des Moines, IA; son Tom and Lacey Vaughn and her daughter Abby, West Des Moines, IA; his mother Jan Braaten, Hettinger; brothers, Sheldon (Barb) Braaten, Blaine, MN; and Tom E. (Marla) Braaten, Hettinger; sisters, Myla Braaten and Francie Thomas, Hastings, MN; Sandi (Clark) Talkington, Mandan, ND; Colette (Chuck) Ahmann, Hettinger; aunts, Gloria Ness, Hazel Braaten and SaraBelle Braaten, numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and in-laws.

Greeting Les in Heaven are: his first wife, Donna, his father, Milo, nephew Kris, grandparents and a host of uncles, aunts and cousins.