John “B.J.” Raymond Bjork, 74, of Winchester, Virginia, died Saturday, April 26, 2014, at Spring Arbor in Winchester, Virginia.
John was born on June 22, 1939, in Madison, Wisconsin, the son of the late Henning and Blanche Bjork. John grew up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the town of Gladstone. He loved to spend time at the family cottage on Lake Michigan. Mr. Bjork attended Gladstone High School, graduating in 1957. After graduating from Western Michigan University with a BA in Spanish in 1962, he went on to obtain a Master’s Degree in Spanish from the American University in Washington, D.C. where he also held a teaching position.
John enlisted in the Army in 1962. After serving four years, he worked for several Federal agencies. His assignments included translating seminars in Spanish speaking countries, counter-intelligence, and computer security. He retired as a Computer Security Specialist for the United States Secret Service in 1994. Mr. Bjork was an avid Redskins Fan, had a great sense of humor, loved to play tennis, was an amateur ham radio enthusiast, enjoyed speaking Spanish, and was an avid writer. He loved the outdoors and playing the guitar.
John married Carol Vannoy in 1991, in Winchester, Virginia. She preceded him in death in 2013.
Surviving are his son, Jonathan Henning Bjork and wife, Ellen, of Fairfax, Virginia; two granddaughters, Jillian and Ava Bjork, both of Fairfax, Virginia; and one sister, Nancy Schram and husband, Dan, of Fort Wayne, IN, niece Jennifer Fisher and husband, Troy Fisher, of Fort Wayne, step-daughter, Cindy Smith of Winchester, VA, step-daughter, Lisa Vannoy of Martinsburg, WVA, step grandchildren C.J. Lord, Maria Haas, Brittany Smith, Kristen Smith, Emily Smith and Caroline Smith, grand-nieces, Mia Fisher, Hailey Fisher and grand-nephew, Nicholas Fisher.
John was preceded in death by his first wife, Carmen Wilke, in 2007.
The family will receive friends on Thursday May 1, from 2:00 – 4:00 PM, at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel 1600 Amherst Street, Winchester, VA, 22601. Following the visitation, the family would like to invite everyone to the Reception Room at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel, for a time of food and fellowship.
A Funeral Service will be conducted at Skradski Funeral Home, 706 Wisconsin Ave., Gladstone, Michigan 49837, at a later date.
Interment will be in Fernwood Perpetual Care Cemetery in Gladstone, Michigan.
In honor of Mr. Bjork, memorial donations can be made to Blue Ridge Hospice, 333 W. Cork St., Suite 405, Winchester, VA, 22601 or to the Michael J. Fox’s Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Grand Central Station, P.O. Box 4777, New York, New York 10163.