Doris Jean (Prettyman) BJORGAN

BJORGAN, RILEY, CARLISLE, LANE, DAHL, MELSBY, JOHNSON, PRETTYMAN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 6/10/2012 at 11:29:49

April 27, 1926 --- June 5, 2012

Doris Jean Bjorgan, known as “Dege”, beloved mother, grandmother, aunt, godmother and dear friend, passed away June 5, 2012 in Vero Beach, Florida, at the age of 86 years. She was born and raised in Goldfield, Iowa and ventured to California where she met and married her husband, Clifford O. Bjorgan in 1952. They made their home in Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon before they began their international travels in 1969. Over the next 18 years, they lived in Tokyo, Japan; The Hague, The Netherlands; Durban, South Africa; Istanbul, Turkey and Washington, D.C. Dege moved to Vero Beach, Florida in 1998 to be near her family. Dege was an active part of the communities in which she lived. She thrived on new encounters and diverse cultural experiences. She was deeply interested in people from all walks of life and was well known for her expertise in providing entertainment and tours to the many friends and relatives who visited over the years.

She is preceded in death by her late husband Cliff and her youngest daughter, Linda Bjorgan.
Dege is survived by two daughters, Mali Bjorgan of Chatham, New York and Mary Kay Riley and husband Michael, granddaughters Rachel and Nichole Riley of Vero Beach, sister-in-law Lyla Bjorgan, nieces Joy Carlisle and husband Buddy of Seattle, Washington, Laurie Lane of Fox Island, Washington, Carol Dahl and husband Gordon of Burlington, Washington, Sheryl Melsby of Sedro Wooley, Washington, Jane Johnson of Mt. Vernon, Washington, nephew Randy Bjorgan and wife Margaret of Anchorage, Alaska as well as many grandnieces and nephews for whom she deeply cared. Dege will be dearly missed by many whose lives she touched. Fiercely independent, generous and faithful, she lived life with a sense of adventure, love for others and deep trust in the goodness of God’s grace. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Dege’s memory to: Camphill Ghent, Inc., Elders in Community, John Baring, CEO, 2542 Route 66 Chatham, N.Y. 12037.

[nee: Doris Jean Prettyman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Prettyman; Class of 1943, Goldfield High School]