Laura (Leikness) Kortes

Laura (Leikness) Kortes, age 56, of Fargo, ND, and formerly of Fosston, MN, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, August 28th, at her home. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 10th, at the Carlin Funeral Home in Fosston. Family will greet friends for one hour prior to the service on Saturday (10th) at the funeral home. Arrangements are with Carlin Family Funeral Service of Fosston and messages of condolence may be shared at www.carlinfuneral.com.

Laura was born August 31, 1965 to Lois (Hasselton) and Leigh “Corky” Leikness in Fosston, MN. She attended school in Fosston, MN where she was active in volleyball, golf, basketball, and playing the trumpet in band. She graduated from Fosston in 1984.

After graduation, she attended Moorhead State and then Moorhead Vo-Tech, graduating in 1986 with a degree in dental assisting. She worked in the dental field for 20 years, starting in Fargo and then in Bismarck, ND.

She was united in marriage to Kyle Bergquist in 1992. To that union was born Austin Leigh in 1994 and Paige Marie in 2000. In June 2014 Laura married Joe Kortes and they moved to Fargo, ND where she worked for Biolife Plasma Services.

Laura had a great love of animals, especially Yorkies. She loved baking and treating her coworkers to amazing desserts. She had a passion for selling things on Ebay, gardening, sitting around a fire, and fishing with Joe. Her greatest passion in life though was spending time with family. She eagerly looked forward to each visit from Austin and Paige, planning and prepping snacks, meals, games, and other activities.

Laura is survived by husband, Joe Kortes of Fargo, ND; her children Austin Bergquist of Fargo, ND, and Paige Bergquist of Bismarck, ND; step-children Kaylyn (Matt) Huffman of Crookston, MN, and Jonathan Kortes of Fargo, ND; sisters Pat Scholar of Audubon, MN, and Michelle (Wyatt) York of Minnetrista, MN; mother-in-law Margo Bahr of Bemidji, MN; nieces Lindsey (Jeremy) Munns of Moorhead, MN, Katie Scholar of Moorhead, MN, and Jenny (Scott) Swenson of St. Louis Park, MN; nephew Tony (Martty) Trout of West Fargo, ND; Aunt Joan and Uncle John Leikness of Frazee, MN and Aunt Linda and Uncle Gary Leikness of Thornton, CO along with many, many other loving relatives and friends.

Laura is preceded in death by parents Lois and Corky Leikness; grandparents Marie and Elmer Hasselton and Mae and Ananias Leikness.

Laura had a contagious smile, making others smile when they were around her. Laura is and will be missed by so many friends and relatives. We know how much she was truly loved by so many people in her life, and the love she shared with all of us.