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Howard Arthur Bjork, 88, West Liberty
Obituaries · September 03, 2015
Howard Arthur Bjork, 88, of West Liberty died Sunday, Aug. 30, 2015, at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City after a short illness.
Funeral services will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 3, at First Church United in West Liberty with Marian Hart officiating. Burial will be at West Liberty Oak Ridge Cemetery in West Liberty. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2, at First Church United. The Henderson-Barker Funeral Home in West Liberty is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to West Liberty Fire and Ambulance or Muscatine County Fair. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.hendersonbarkerfuneralhome.com.
Howard was born on Feb. 1, 1927, in Des Moines County, Iowa, near Mediapolis, the son of Oscar and Myrtle (Duncan) Bjork. He was a graduate of Morning Sun High School and a U.S. Army veteran serving with the 3160th Signal Service Battalion in Germany during 1945 and 1946. He was employed with electrical construction in the Chicago area and as a lineman with the then Iowa-Illinois Gas and Electric Co. in Iowa City.
He married Celia Margaret Coon at the First Presbyterian Church in Morning Sun on Sept. 24, 1949. They lived in Iowa City for several years where he worked as a railroad depot agent/clerk. They moved to West Liberty in 1960, and he was employed for 32 years by the Rock Island/Milwaukee/Soo Line Railroads at West Liberty, Columbus Junction and Muscatine, retiring in 1986. He then worked as a dispatcher for Eastern Iowa Light and Power Company in Wilton and retired from there in 1991, followed by part-time employment at the West Liberty Simpson Care Center for several years.
Howard was a long-time active member of West Liberty First Church United, having served on the board of directors as a trustee, on the board of deacons, Liberty Crusaders, and other various committees and events. He was a volunteer for the local public library, Friends of the Library, and he and Celia delivered library books regularly to the three West Liberty retirement buildings for several years. He was a volunteer at the Simpson Care Center and the Senior Meal-Site.
Howard and Celia enjoyed traveling after retirement and visiting their children and grandchildren. Both were avid sports fans and attended their families’ events and activities as frequently as possible.
Survivors include children: Ed Bjork and his wife, Barb, of Mount Vernon, Iowa, Tom Bjork of West Liberty, Jane Vimini and her husband, Robert, of Salisbury, Md., and David Bjork and wife Luann, of West Liberty; nine grandchildren: Kim Bjork of Marion, Nick Bjork of Marion, Kris Roggentien and husband Reece of Tiffin, Curt Bjork and wife Laura of Mt. Pleasant, Andrew Vimini and wife Chrissy of Wahiawa, Hawaii, Megan Vimini of Jersey City, N.J., Molly Vimini of Washington D.C., Eric Bjork of Liberty, Mo., and Allison Bjork of What Cheer; two great-grandchildren, Aria Roggentien and Eleanor Bjork; niece Karen Cote and husband Tom and son Peter; as well as a special friend, Bev Lindle.
Howard was preceded in death by his wife, Celia, in 2008; his brother and sister in-law, Harlan and Janice Bjork; and his parents.
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