David Bruce Jorgenson

David Bruce Jorgenson, age 83, departed this world on October 31, 2025 in Norfolk, Virginia. David lived a life full of love. Just before he was born, his parents - Minnesota transplants to Los Angeles - rode a train back to rural Minnesota to be surrounded by his first and second generation Norwegian American family. Ties with his immediate and extended family stayed very strong throughout his life. He grew up in Hawthorne, California with his parents, Ernest and Nona, and two sisters Ramona and Lynda, in a house where he could watch planes land at the Los Angeles Airport from his rooftop. He graduated from Hawthorne High School alongside the Wilsons and Al Jardine of the Beach Boys.

David met the love of his life, Karen, at UCLA, where he graduated college. Their adventurous spirits led them to opportunities wherever they appeared; completing his PhD field work in Oregon, taking his first job as a geologist at a New Mexican mine, a professorship at Central Michigan University, and working in environmental remediation in Nevada and Ohio. They retired in rural Pierce County, Washington to be near extended family in 2001, and moved to Norfolk, Virginia to be with family after downsizing in 2022.

Although quiet of demeanor, the twinkle in David's eye and dimple in his smile invited people to speak to him one-on-one and enjoy great conversations. He was a lifelong learner, often reading three or four books at once, and always listening to NPR while driving. After retiring as a geologist, he acquired and repaired broken antique radios from the 1930s, and later purchased a Furniture Medic franchise and taught himself how to repair old furniture. He general contracted and created the wood work details in the home they built to enjoy retirement. In Michigan and Washington, David and Karen had small hobby farms with a barn where David could tinker; they raised goats, chickens, dogs, and cats, and enjoyed tending large vegetable gardens. For as long as his body would allow, David was a runner. A special moment in his life was when he and his oldest daughter Kirsten trained for and ran the San Diego Rock and Roll marathon together in 2000.

The impact David had on his family, friends, and community is immeasurable. He and Karen celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in April 2025. Their love only grew as they navigated life in true partnership. As a parent, he was emotionally present, kind, fun, and enjoyed spending time with his family. His last words to his family were of his love and the pride he took in them. Friends and family say his wit, sense of humor, and kindness will be how he is remembered.

Some of David's greatest personal achievements came from his and Karen's choices to open their hearts and homes to others. In the late 1970s they forged a lifelong bond with a multigenerational family, the Huynhs, whom their church sponsored to settle in Michigan from a refugee camp in Thailand after the Vietnam War. It was one of David's great joys to see their family's many successes. David and Karen were foster and adoptive parents. They provided homes for 4 exchange students from Scandinavian countries. As parents of a child with disabilities, they used their knowledge to be Parent Advocates in their local school system to help other parents navigate school for their children with learning differences. Throughout his life, in all the communities he lived in, he did large and small acts of community service.

David is survived by his sister Lynda; wife Karen, daughters Kirsten (Mark), Alyssa (Jonathan), Lindsay, and Tabor (Richard); grandchildren Mariah (Steven), Joanna, Elijah, and Nyla; and great grandson Julian David.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you invest in your community as David did. You can donate on his behalf to fight food insecurity with Food Backpacks 4 Kids HERE or a charity of your choice.