Malachi Dean Backhaus

Malachi Dean Backhaus, age 7, was embraced by the nail-scarred hands of Jesus on March 26, 2026. Services will be held at 10:00 AM CT on Friday, April 17, 2026 at Zion Lutheran Church, Beulah with Pastor Jeremiah Playle officiating. Burial will follow at Otter Creek Cemetery, rural New Salem, ND.

Visitation will be held from 4:00 to 7:00 PM CT on Thursday, April 16 at New Life Worship Center, Beulah.

Malachi was born on October 17, 2018, exactly on time, on the very day his parents, Larin and Laura, were scheduled to leave for a missions trip to Africa. His life was received as a promise from the Lord that they would be given a son who would be a mighty prophet to the nations. From the very beginning, Malachi’s life carried purpose.

He fought for his life at birth, and even in those first hours, there was a sense that something bigger was taking place. During that time, Laura had a vivid dream of waging war with the enemy himself, and in that dream, many children were set free because of Malachi’s life. He came into this world with strength, and it never left him.

A doctor once called him a “prime specimen” when he was born, a phrase that stayed with the family and, in many ways, proved true throughout his life.

Malachi was full of joy. He was the kind of boy who woke up happy and stayed that way. He was goofy, playful, and full of life, bringing laughter into the home in a way that cannot be replaced. If there was ever a line about little boys loving puppy dog tails, bugs, and snails, that was Malachi all the way.

Not a day went by that he didn’t encourage his mommy. He would tell her she was the best mom in the whole world and that he loved her so much. When she worked hard, he noticed. When she carried heavy things, he celebrated her. One day, while hauling water for the goats, Laura lifted a full five gallon bucket, and Malachi turned, smiled, and said, “What a woman.” It became his saying, spoken with admiration and joy whenever he saw strength.

He loved being outside. Malachi could often be found in the dirt, building, exploring, or chasing the next adventure. He loved to hunt and fish, ride his bike, and spend time with his siblings. His best buddy was his brother Benjamin, and the two of them were nearly inseparable, running, playing superheroes, and filling the days with imagination.

He loved music and joy filled his days. He loved dancing around to Forrest Frank, listening to sea shanties with his brother, and Mom and Dad would occasionally catch him playing “Shut Up and Dance with Me” on the Alexa. Those little moments captured his spirit, free, joyful, and full of life.

He loved games like Uno and chess, and he was already planning his next birthday, carefully making a list of friends he wanted to invite to an escape room. He had a full life ahead of him, and he lived every day of it.

On the morning of his passing, Malachi came in proudly showing the scrapes from a bike ride, evidence of a long slide he had taken but stayed on his bike all the way through. That was Malachi, brave, determined, and proud of the adventure.

He was also a thoughtful and eager learner. Every morning before school, he would bring his papers to his mom so they could talk about how well he was doing and how beautiful his handwriting had become.

More than anything, Malachi loved Jesus. He was a worshiper, not just in church, but in the quiet, unseen moments of his life. As soon as he learned to read, he began reading his Bible. One of the family’s treasured memories is of him reading from Genesis in his Bible for boys. He knew where his strength came from. He knew his source.

Malachi’s life, though seven short years, was full. Full of love. Full of joy. Full of purpose.

He is survived by his loving parents, Larin and Laura Backhaus; his siblings,              Leighton (20), Eden (18), Liam (18), Jessie (16), Rachel (16), Roman (12), Moriah (9), and Benjamin (4); his grandmother, Gina (Brian Wheeler) Lafreniere; and his grandfather, Leigh \Backhaus; along with many extended family members and friends who loved him deeply.

He was preceded in death by his grandfather, Mark Lafreniere; his grandmother, Rachelle Backhaus; and his great-grandparents, Phyllis and Otto Backhaus, Theresa and Tony Palleria, Patricia and Real Lafreniere and Milt and Sheila Wald.

Though his absence is deeply felt, his life leaves a lasting mark. Malachi is now safe, whole, and fully alive, held in the arms of Jesus, the One he loved so much.

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain…” Revelation 21:4.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Kingdom Encounters (www.kingdomencounters.us).

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