Ordell Howard Bjerke

Ordell H. Bjerke, 90, of Waukon, IA, died Tuesday, September 13, 2011, at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Funeral services will be held Saturday, September 17th, at 11:00 AM at Zion United Church of Christ in Waukon, with Pastor Samantha Houser officiating. Burial will be at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon, with his grandchildren serving as casketbearers. Friends may call from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM Friday at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon.

Ordell Howard Bjerke was born on June 21, 1921 on the rural Waterville, IA farm of his parents, Eilert and Martha (Busness) Bjerke. He was baptized and confirmed at the East Paint Creek Synod Lutheran Church and graduated from Waterville High School in 1939. Following graduation, Ordell did farm work for Karl Simmons near Waukon. On June 21, 1946 he married Virginia Grotegut at Zion United Church of Christ in Waukon. Ordell and Virginia rented several area farms before buying the Frankville Township farm in Winneshiek County where they raised a dairy herd, beef cattle, hogs, sheep, chickens and crops. After moving to Waukon in 1974, Ordell worked for several years at the Coast to Coast store.

Ordell was an active member of Zion United Church of Christ, serving numerous terms on the council. He was also a member of Farm Bureau and for a number of years served as Waukon's Zoning Administrator.

Ordell cherished time with his family and even after a busy day in the fields could find time for a game of catch or other activity with his kids. When he wasn't farming, Ordell enjoyed fishing and pheasant hunting, bowling, playing cards, going dancing, and putting puzzles together. He was an accomplished woodworker and made many functional items as gifts for his family and friends. Ordell was an avid gardener, raising red roses and other flowers. He also enjoyed traveling, whether on a bus tour with Virginia or simply taking a family Sunday afternoon drive through the local countryside.

Survivors include his wife Virginia of Waukon; his 4 children, Karen (Randy) Loeb and Lois (Loren) Beneke, both of Waukon, Lynn of West Union, and Robert (Cheryl) of Decorah; 9 grandchildren, Kayla, Shawn, Brianne, Rachel, Adam, and Mikael Bjerke, Amanda Guese, Amy Evans, and Jacob Beneke; 5 great-grandchildren, Ryan and Mitch Guese and Alex, Zayna, and Zoey Evans; and a sister-in-law, Lorna Bjerke of Waukon. He is preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Ernest.