Richard Bjerke

Mr. Richard Bjerke, age 89, rural Crocker, died in the Prairie Lakes Hosptial at Watertown late Tuesday evening, April 8, 2008 after a brief illness. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, April 12, 2008 at 1PM in the Crocker Lutheran Church at Crocker with burial following in the Calvary Lutheran Cemetery near Bradley. Minister Marion Grimes will officiate.' Music will be provided by Marvine Obermeier as organist with Mike McCarlson as soloist.' The Bradley-Crocker Church Choir will sing as will the congregation.' Honorary Casketbearers will be Floyd Flatten, Sherman McCarlson, Glen Loterbauer, Mike Gudmunson, Alan Yexley, Cal Engstrom and Mike Dale.' The Active Casketbearers will be grandchildren'Jenna, Chad, Ryan and nephews Allen, Bob, Ronnie, Larry and Gary Bjerke, Roger Zweig and Dave Finstad. Visitation will be held on Friday from 5-7 PM at the Furness Funeral Home at Clark and 1 hour preceding services at the Church on Saturday. He was born on September 2, 1918 at his parent's farm home in northern Cottonwood Township, Clark County, Bradley, South Dakota, the son of George and Ragna (Siggerud) Bjerke. He attended several rural schools graduating from the 8th grade. He began working for area farmers at a young age and then in 1940 started farming on his own on the Myhren farm, north of Crocker, which was his present home. On June 12, 1941 he was united in marriage to Esther Luvaas at the Crocker Lutheran Church parsonage by The Rev. J. C. Jerde. He and Esther have lived on the same'farm until the time of his death. Richard had a love for the land and took a strong interest in many farming organizations including being a member of the Farmers Union and the National Farmers Organization. Besides his farm work, he did trucking for a number of years and ran a feed grinding route for some time also. In the community he was a former school board member and served on the Spring Valley Township Board for Many years. He joined the Vigortone Ag Products line where he served as a dealer and later became a field manager for 12 years. In 1987 he received the State Tree Farmer Award. Over the years he planted close to 50 acres of trees which included some 20 varieties. He made (invented) his tree planter and a weed cleaner which ran off of his Ford tractor.'' Richard will long be remembered for his'two favorite'quotes "UFFDA" and "Mange Takk" (Many Thanks in Norwegian). A Canadian Thistle did not stand a chance around Richard; it was something he disliked with a passion. He spent many hours spraying them and when the flowers were dried before he had a chance to spray them, he picked off the heads, putting them in sacks to either bury them or burn. He was a member of the Calvary Lutheran Church until its closing and then became a member of the Crocker Lutheran Church. He leaves to mourn his wife of nearly 67 years, Esther of rural Crocker, a daughter, Barb Erickson and husband Leif of Watertown and a son, Michael Bjerke and wife Marla of Volga, grandchildren, Ryan, Chad and Jenna Bjerke, a step-granddaughter, Tracey Moses and husband Matt and their daughter, Hannah Moses. He also leaves siblings Gilman Bjerke of Clark, Max Bjerke of Bradley, a sister Myrtle Batenhorst and husband Gerald of Fritz, TX, sisters-in-law, Louise Bjerke of Clark and Joyce Schoenbeck and husband Don of Watertown. Preceding him in death were his parents, brothers, Palmer (Lela) Bjerke, Oscar Bjerke and Tenny Bjerke and sisters, Olive (Carl) Zweig, Gladys (Lowell) Bull, Helga (Lester) Finstad and sisters-in-law, Dorothy, Lucille and Marge Bjerke. I think that I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is prest Against the earth's sweet flowing breast; A tree that looks at God all day, And lifts her leafy arms to pray; A tree that may in Summer wear A nest of robins in her hair; Upon whose bosom snow has lain; Who intimately lives with rain. Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree. The Furness Funeral Home of Cla