Kenny Bjerke

Kenny Bjerke passed away at the age of 86 on May 5, 2017 while living at the Fay Wookey Memorial Assisted Living Home in Clark South Dakota. Services will be held at the Crocker Lutheran Church in Crocker, South Dakota at 11:00 am on June 17, 2017 with Minister Marion Grimes and Reverend Grayling Trees officiating. Music will be provided by Marvine Obermeier and Dave and Carol Finstad. Interment will be at Our Savior Lutheran West Cemetery. A luncheon will follow the interment at the Bradley Community Center in Bradley, South Dakota.

Kenneth Olaf Bjerke was born July 13, 1930 to Carl and Olga (Warwick) Bjerke at his grandparents (Warwick) home on Cottonwood Lake near Lily, South Dakota. Kenny graduated from Augustana Academy in Canton, South Dakota in the spring of 1949. It was during his first year there that he received Christ as his Savior which changed the course of his life forever. He thoroughly enjoyed playing sports while at the Academy, especially basketball. It was also while at Augustana that he met the love of his life, Nelda Marie Stump. They were married April 29, 1950 in Lily, South Dakota.

For the majority of his career he worked as a pressman at the Star Tribune in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He also tried his hand at real estate and the cement business. Over the years he and Nelda lived in South Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota (Duluth, Minneapolis, Buffalo, Anoka, Madilia, Rogers, Paynesville and Elk River), Arkansas, Missouri and France. Later in life they wintered in Arizona.

He loved hunting, gardening, playing cards, skiing, polka & square dancing and taking family vacations. He also enjoyed coaching Little League, teaching Sunday school and working with the senior teens at church. His greatest desire in this life was to see his family, friends and co-workers accept Christ as their Savior so he could see us all again someday in Heaven.

Encouraged by his daughters, he wrote a book, "Prairie Boy", depicting the stories he would tell them about his early life growing up on the farm in South Dakota. He loved reminiscing about his youth on the farm, he couldn't wait to hear the Meadow Lark song in the spring and the pheasants in the fall. He always said he couldn't have dreamt of a better way to live.

He will be deeply missed by his loving wife of 67 years Nelda; his 5 daughters: Debbie (Dean) Markuson of Pequot Lakes, MN; Sandra (Grayling) Trees of Marseille, France; Marcia Englund of St. Paul, MN; Becky Ann (Jeff) Olson of Hollister, MO; Bonnie (Lionel) Callies of Hollister, MO; 11 grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren; and 1 great-great grandchild. He also leaves sister Dorey Gross of Clark, SD; brother Dunk (Elva) Bjerke of Watertown, SD; sister Roxy (Dale) Streckfuss of Mansfield, SD; sister-in-law Sharon Bjerke of Clark, SD; brother-in-law Bill Schaefbauer of Souix Falls, SD; sister-in-law Joann (Rev.Arnold) Jergenson of Silverdale, WA. and many nieces, nephews, other relatives & friends.

He was preceded in death by parents Carl & Olga Bjerke; brother Little Joey Bjerke; sister Faye Johnson; brother Jim Bjerke; sister Becky Schaefbauer; brother-in-law John Johnson; brother-in-law John Gross; and in-laws Reverend Joseph & Nelda Stump.