Shirley Bjerke

1935 - 2022

Shirley Mae Svestad was born May 6, 1935, in Kathryn, ND, to Trygve and Elfie (Gunderson) Svestad. She was baptized in her childhood home and confirmed in Waldheim Lutheran Church, rural Kathryn, where she remained a lifetime member.
Shirley attended elementary school, junior high school, and two years of high school in Kathryn. She attended Nome High School for one year and graduated in 1952.
Shirley was united in marriage to Melvin Bjerke on December 25, 1954, at St. Paul's LutheranChurch at Kathryn. They spent numerous years travelling on the road with Collins Construction Corporation before settling in Kathryn.
Shirley took pride in her clean and orderly home and numerous flowerbeds. Visitors were welcomed with homemade cookies, bars, and buns. Norwegian jokes were told with glee to granddaughters.
Shirley and Melvin cared for Clausen Springs and Little Yellowstone parks for nine years. She was a caregiver to Melvin during his last years of life.
She moved to Bridgeview Estates in Valley City in February 2020 and lived there until her death.
She is survived by sons Marty (Nicholle) Bjerke, and their daughters Leah & Laura, West Fargo, North Dakota, and Mitchell (Connie) Bjerke and daughters, Cassidy, Danielle & Megyn, New Rockford, North Dakota; daughter, Stacie (Zac) Coleman, Kathryn; and a sister Barbara (Richard) Gunderson, Osceola, Iowa.
She was preceded in in death by her parents, husband, infant daughter and infant son; sisters Ruth (Leroy) Larson and Carol (Clarence) Chose.
The funeral service for Shirley will be 10:30 am Tuesday, January 18, 2022 at Waldheim Lutheran Church, Kathryn. Visitation will be one hour before the service at the church. Burial will be in Waldheim Cemetery. Shirley passed away Sunday, January 9, at Sanford on Broadway, Fargo.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Oliver-Nathan Funeral Chapel, Valley City. An online guestbook is available at www.olivernathanchapel.com