Esther Bjerke

Esther M. Bjerke, age 93, Crocker, widow of Richard Bjerke, died peacefully in the Golden Living Center at Watertown on Saturday evening, October 18, 2014. Visitation will be held on Thursday, October 23, 2014 from 5-7PM at the Furness Funeral Home at Clark and will continue on Friday morning at the Church in Crocker after 9AM. Funeral services will be held on Friday, October 24, 2014 at 10:30 AM in the Crocker Lutheran Church with Minister Marion Grimes officiating. Marvine Obermeier will be the organist with Fred Obermeier as soloist. Casketbearers will be Ryan & Chad Bjerke, Jenna Flomo, Ken Luvaas, Dale Anderson, Steve Headley and Mike Gudmunson. Burial will follow in the Calvary Lutheran Cemetery near Bradley. She was born on May 1, 1921, Esther Margaret Luvaas, the daughter of Albert and Annie (Skavern) Luvaas on a farm north of Lily, near Butler, SD. Esther attended school near Lily through the 3rd grade and then the family moved to a farm southwest of Bradley. She graduated from Thorp High School in 1939. Following high school graduation, Esther helped many area families on the farm, from cooking to helping with the children. She also worked as a home health worker for a short time. On June 12, 1941 she was united in marriage to Richard H. Bjerke at the parsonage of the Crocker Lutheran Church. The couple lived and farmed north of Crocker for many years. Richard died April 8, 2008. Esther continued living on the farm until health issues forced her to move to Watertown and become a resident of the Golden Living Center in February of 2012. Esther was a longtime member of the Crocker Lutheran Church where she was also active in the WELCA group. In her free time she enjoyed gardening and canning, church activities, coffee time and being a fan of the Minnesota Twins. She was also a member of the "Happy Norwegians" where she sang and played, often being called a nickname of "Lutefisk" and loved her lefsa. She will be remembered by many for being a walking genealogy book, just ask Esther, she will remember! Esther also was proud of her Norwegian heritage in the making of many Norwegian pastries including krum kaka, rosettes and others and her making of various wild berry jams. Preceding her in death were her parents, husband, siblings, Thorlief, Osbjourn, Gustav, Morris, Oliver and Nora and a nephew, Glen Luvaas. Grateful for having shared in her life are her children, Barbara (James "Leif") Erickson of Watertown and Mike (Marla) Bjerke of Bruce, grandchildren, Ryan (Becky) Bjerke,  Chad (Amanda) Bjerke of Bruce, and Jenna (Daniel) Flomo of Minneapolis, a step-granddaughter, Tracy (Matt) Moses; great-grandchildren, Bella and Luke and a step-great-granddaughter, Hannah. She also leaves to mourn sisters-in-law, Lauretta Luvaas, Myrt Bjerke Batinhorst, Louise Bjerke, Joyce Schoenbeck and many nieces and nephews. Furness Funeral Home at Clark is serving the family where there is an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com