Obituary of Stanley Carl Bjorum

Stanley Carl Bjorum, age 63, was born to Dee Dee and Erick Bjorum in Butte, Montana and passed away on December 7, 2013, Pearl Harbor Day. His Dad was a survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor and spent 20 years in the submarine service in the Navy, prior to retiring in Southern California. Stan, his older brother Edward and younger sister Ericka were raised in Seal Beach, California. Stan was active in sports, especially surfing as an adolescent, and he built many life-long relationships with friends from his youth. After graduating from high school he headed north. He first moved to Mt. Shasta, California, but he eventually found a home in Ashland, Oregon where he lived for the next eighteen years. Stan started out working as a cabinet maker but was drawn to working in the woods as a logger. While in Ashland, he was active in the city softball league, and he developed a passion for golf and dancing. Twice he won the annual Omar's Open Golf Tournament, and his dancing led him to be crowned the Rogue Valley Swing Dance champion. In the early 90's Stan moved to Portland. Soon after he arrived he met the love of his life, Valerie Roadman. They married in 1994, and built a life together that was filled with love, travel, golf, family, two pugs, Chopper and Opal, and a wide circle of friends. The love and respect that Stan and Valerie felt for each other was contagious and it drew new friends to them in their community, and wherever they traveled. During this period of his life, Stan became an avid gardener. He worked tirelessly on growing beautiful flowers and he became known for his colorful dahlias and enormous sunflowers. Stan found his true calling career-wise when he started working with the frail elderly residents at the Providence ElderPlace Cully program. Stan started out as a driver, and then transferred into the job of being an activities director. The residents of ElderPlace valued Stan for his optimism, good humor and his compassion. Stan loved his work as he was able to bring some joy on a daily basis to folks who were facing physical and emotional challenges. Stan had to leave his employment when he became ill, but he would still return to play cards with the residents or to participate in special events with them. Stanley Bjorum was a force of nature. He had unlimited energy, optimism, good humor and he persevered in the face of a life full of physical challenges. He was a remarkable husband, son, sibling and friend and his joy of living has been passed on to all he touched. He will be missed. Stan was preceded in death by his parents and is survived by his loving wife, Valerie, brother, Ed, sister, Ericka (Frank), nieces and nephews, the Graves’ family of Charlottesville, VA and a myriad of friends and family around the country. He continues to serve his community by being an organ donor. A celebration of Stanley Bjorum's life will be held in the Spring. If you would like to honor Stanley's memory, please make a donation in his name for Providence ElderPlace by calling Providence Portland Medical Foundation at (503)215-6186 or visiting the ElderPlace website at http://oregon.providence.org/patients/Programs/providence-ElderPlace/Pages/default.aspx