12 Sep Karen Jorgensen
Posted at 19:49h
in Uncategorized
by staff
Karen Lee Jorgensen, 81, Bismarck and formerly of Williston and Tioga, went to be with her heavenly Father on Monday, September 11 at the Bismarck Baptist Home. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 16 at 11:00 a.m. at Grace Lutheran Brethren Church 2400 East Avenue A in Bismarck with the Rev. Ryan Nordlund officiating. Burial will be held at Fairview Cemetery.
Karen was born on November 3, 1941, the seventh of eight children, to Lawrence and Thelma (Skjelstad) Pederson in Powers Lake, ND. She was raised on the family farm north of Tioga. She had a wonderful childhood that included big family get togethers and playing with her brothers, cousins, friends and the farm animals. She especially enjoyed her horse Flicka.
She graduated with the Tioga High School Class of 1959 and went to Interstate Business School in Fargo where she earned a secretarial degree. She worked for Federal Crop Insurance for a few years before getting hired as a telephone operator for Northwestern Bell. She also worked as custodian, receptionist, and farmer’s wife. She was a wonderful caregiver to her parents in their later years.
She married Laurence Jorgensen of Epping on December 13, 1969. They made their home in Williston, and shared 40 years together before he passed away in 2010. They enjoyed traveling (highlights being an Alaskan and Panama Canal cruise), playing cards, and visiting their friends and relatives. Their marriage was blessed with the births of their two children, Nancy and Loren.
Karen got the title of grandma in 1997 with the birth of her first grandchild. She cherished all eight grandchildren. She loved showering them with gifts and they never left her house without something even if it was just some candy.
Karen was a very kind, empathetic, and generous person. She met life’s challenges head on. She was diagnosed with bile duct cancer in March of 2006 and fought with all she had to beat it.
She needed to have a liver transplant and she received that gift of life not once but twice in April 2007. She made a full recovery. She was able to visit Norway and Hawaii in her 70’s. She
enjoyed playing cards at the Bismarck Senior Center and visiting friends and family.
She is survived by her daughter Nancy (Bruce) Dyk, Bismarck, son Loren (Kelly), Waunakee,
Wisconsin, eight grandchildren, Gerrit, Aleah, and Samantha Dyk, Bismarck, Donovan Dyk,
Lincoln, Nebraska, Luke, Evan, Joshua, and Annalise Jorgensen, Waunakee, Wisconsin, brother Lloyd (Evelyn), Stockton, California, sisters-in-law Loreen Pederson, Minot, Orabelle Pederson, Tioga, brother -in-law Harold (Betty) Jorgensen, Portland, Oregon, and nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Amie, brothers, Lawrence Jr., Joey, Donald,
Allyn, Larry, and nephews Todd and Douglas Pederson.
Go to www.bismarckfuneralhome.com to sign the online guestbook or to share memories with the family.
