BIOGRAPHY

Rena Bagne was born near Kamsack, Saskatchewan, Canada, on 2 March 1908. She was one of seven siblings born to parents Hjalmer Olaf and Inga Haldorson, who had moved to Canada from the United States in hopes of getting rich following a gold rush. The family would, however, return to the United States just three years later, settling on a farm in Starbuck, Minnesota in 1911, where they raised turkeys, chickens, cattle, and various cash crops. While working on the farm with her father, Bagne enjoyed caring for the livestock, which led her to developing an interest in nursing.

After graduating from high school, Bagne attended Bethany Lutheran in Minneapolis, where she studied to become a licensed practical nurse. Afterwards, she began working as a nurse in Minneapolis before moving back to her hometown to work at the Starbuck hospital. While working in Starbuck, she met her future husband, Walter Bagne, who worked as a milkman and often delivered milk to the hospital. The couple were married in 1946, and would later open a gift shop, which they operated for several years before selling. Afterwards, Bagne returned to her career in nursing, while her husband became an accountant.

Following the death of her husband in 1974, she continued to work as a nurse for some years before retiring. Following her retirement, she moved into an apartment with her sister, Edna Paasche, before the pair ultimately decided to move into a nursing home as they grew older: three months after Bagne’s 109th birthday in 2017, her sister would celebrate her 107th birthday, making them one of oldest sibling pairs in the world. Just four days later, Paasche would pass away.

Rena Bagne passed away in Ortonville, Minnesota on 26 August 2018 at the age of 110 years, 177 days.

RECOGNITION

Her age was verified by Stefan Maglov and Jimmy Lindberg, and was validated by LongeviQuest on 4 May 2024.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Kamsack-born woman celebrates 109th birthday” – Kamsack Times, 6 March 2017

* “Edna Paasche Obituary” The Valley Express, 25 June 2017

* “Ortonville woman to celebrate 110th birthday on Friday” – The Watertown Public Opinion, 1 March 2018

* “Ortonville Woman Celebrates 110th Birthday” – The Valley Express, 3 March 2018

GALLERY