George Bjarke

George Otto Bjarke

George Otto Bjarke passed away peacefully August 21st, 2011 in his beloved Los Alamos, New Mexico, at the age of 88. The son of Nels and Rebekka Bjarke, George was born in Tacoma, Washington on October 10th, 1922. When WW II broke out George was drafted into the U.S. Army and was assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division. On June 7th, 1944 the Division stormed ashore at bloody Omaha Beach. His unit, the Indianheads, blasted through the hedgerows of Normandy. After a fierce 39 day battle, the 2nd Infantry Division finally liberated the vital port city of Brest on September 18th, 1944. During the battle for Brest, George was wounded and subsequently awarded the Purple Heart. After recovering from his wounds he continued with his unit and fought in the Battle of the Bulge.

After the war George attended college at the University of Puget Sound where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics with honors in 1950. He continued with post-graduate studies at the University of Arizona. He met Joan Broomell, also from Tacoma, Washington, while both were working at Mount Rainier National Park. They married on September 2nd, 1950 and began raising a beautiful family.

George and Joan moved to Los Alamos, NM, in April of 1955, when he was hired to the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory in the Electrical Standards Lab of the Physics Division. He would remain with the Lab until his retirement on Dec. 31st, 1985.

George was a charter member of the Los Alamos Elks Lodge. He also served as a Los Alamos School Board Member from 1969 to 1979. He was active in County Government serving on the Transportation and Personnel Boards. He was an avid downhill skier and hiker. He could often be seen hiking through the canyons near his home on Barranca Mesa.

In retirement, George and Joan became world travelers visiting 37 different countries and bringing home many souvenir plates that hang in their kitchen. He loved his children, Judy, George, Dick, Karl, Gary and Don and adored his 11 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. He would take great pleasure in watching them play for hours.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Woodrow. He is survived by his wife, children, and his sisters, Judith and Gunneld, and brother, Nels. He is lovingly known on family Facebook pages as the Most Interesting Man in the World and will be sorely missed.

The family is planning a celebration of his life on October 15th, 2011 at the Los Alamos Elks Lodge. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to the Los Alamos Alzheimers Association, Team Bjarke.