Gudbjorn "Bjossi" Karlsson

MAINE - Gudbjorn "Bjossi" Karlsson, D.O., a dedicated physician, husband, father, son and friend, passed away in Colorado on Feb. 29, 2012, following a sudden illness.

He leaves his loving wife, Dr. Julia Woods Karlsson; devoted daughters, Nika Kroyer Karlsson and Anya Kroyer Karlsson; parents, Karl and Bergthora Asmundsson of Gilford, N.H.; brothers, Johann Ingi Asmundsson and Karl Runar Karlsson of New Hampshire and Godson, Oskar Mark Karlsson, of New Hampshire; grandfathers, Gudbjorn Gudjonsson and Asmundur Bjarneason, both of Iceland; dogs, Banjo and Sterling; and cats Surtsey, Kiki and Suki.

Bjossi, or BOC, or Dr. Karlsson, or Doc BOC, lived a full life of love, sport, family and adventure. Bjossi channeled his vast energy into loving his family, healing the sick, spending time with his deeply loved extended family of friends, strengthening his connection to his Icelandic heritage, and pursuing an active sporting life outdoors, through all seasons. Throughout his youth Bjossi excelled in tennis and downhill ski racing, and any other ventures he devoted himself to.

Bjossi accomplished all of this with his trademark enthusiasm and magnetism that kept a broad range of close friends in his orbit, friends dating as far back as secondary school, and many more that he gathered along the way. He was, to those close to him, an iconoclast, the real deal.

As a father, a brother, a husband, and a son, Bjossi was an embracing, caring man. Bjossi deeply loved his wife, daughters, parents, grandparents, and brothers. Bjossi was an expresser of this love for all to see and know. His love was beautiful, warm, comforting, reassuring and extremely cherished. Bjossi was also a grouch at times! However, this was only another of his approaches to articulate his love to those closest to him – never far removed from tenderness and caring.

Bjossi's family extends with deep family commitments in Iceland, on the main island and on Vestmannaeyjar, with an abiding connection to his Icelandic family heritage and ancestry. His family of grandfathers, aunts, uncles, great aunts, great uncles, and cousins were a priority for Bjossi, with frequent travels to Iceland to visit. Bjossi had a particularly close relationship with his maternal grandfather, Afi Gudbjorn, who was Bjossi's hero and a formative influence in the character of man that he grew to be.

Dr. Karlsson graduated from Bates College with a bachelor's of science in 1989, and went on to earn his D.O. from the University of New England's College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1999. He completed his residencies at Eastern Maine Medical Center and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. He was an accomplished medical researcher, and published well-regarded papers on neurological and cardiovascular topics in "Brain Journal," "The American Journal of Physiology" and "Neuroscience Research," among others. Along the way, Bjossi also picked up an M.Sc. in aquaculture from the University of Bergen in Norway, which included research on the Icelandic grey seal population that gave him great pride in contrast and addition to his accomplishments in medicine.

Dr. Karlsson spent his distinguished medical career practicing in the state of Maine, where he was an attending physician in the emergency medicine department at Inland Hospital in Waterville. At Inland Hospital Dr. Karlsson achieved the distinction of assistant director of the Emergency Department. Bjossi was a respected member of the local Newport, Maine, community, where he lived in his idyllic home on Durham Bridge Road, on the shores of Sebasticook Lake.

Bjossi Karlsson is dearly loved and will be deeply missed.

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SERVICES: Calling hours will be on Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. at Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home, 164 Pleasant St., Laconia, using the Carriage House entrance. The memorial service will follow on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 2238 Parade Road, Laconia.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made in Bjossi's name to Good Shepherd Food-Bank, P.O. Box 1807, Auburn, ME 04211-1807. Alternatively, gifts can be made to USAA 529 college savings plan for the benefit of either Nika or Anya Karlsson (must specify), at P.O. Box 55751, Boston, MA, 02205.

Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant St., Laconia, For more information and to view an online memorial go to www.wilkinsonbeane.com.