Gordon & Amber Bjorkman

With broken hearts we announce the passing of Amber and Gordon Bjorkman on December 2, 2023. They are lovingly remembered and greatly missed by their son Dave Bjorkman (Keli) and daughter Carole Mahood (Pat), grandchildren Christina Bjorkman, Chris Smith (Kim), Shureen Smith, Jennifer Wallington (Dave), and Robert Wallington, great-grandchildren Ruby, Mason, and Autumn, and many nephews, nieces, and extended family. Amber and Gordon are predeceased by Amber’s parents Leonard and Dorothy Bishop and sisters Leona and Joan, by Gordon’s parents Leonard and Mavis Bjorkman and sister Lorna, and by grandson Brandon Padalec.

Amber and Gordon’s story together started early - they were born in the same hospital room at Mt. Sheer, BC, Gordon on December 22, 1941 and Amber on June 1, 1946. Amber grew up as fast friends with Gordon’s sister Lorna, and worked at the restaurant his parents ran in Britannia Beach, BC in her teens. When Amber was 18 they eloped, and would have celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary on December 12, 2023. Their life together took them all across BC, from Mt. Sheer and Britannia Beach to Squamish, Port Coquitlam, Fraser Lake, Fort Nelson, Shalath, Quadra Island, Campbell River, and Merritt, as well as wintering in Arizona and California in their retirement. In every place they lived they collected an amazing number of lifelong friends.

When they decided to retire, they also did it together and retired on the same day in 2004 from ICBC (Amber) and BC Hydro (Gordon), moving to Merritt a few short weeks later. Merritt quickly became home as they settled into the community, and within weeks they were telling tales of all the new friends they had made.

Gordon never quite got the hang of retirement, returning to work on and off on special projects for BC Hydro for a few years, and spent the last several years working part-time as an electrical safety instructor at BC Hydro construction sites around the province. He was also an avid pilot, and spent many pre-retirement years building his Christavia 2-seater plane in the basement and garage. When he finally got it flying his free time was spent tinkering with the plane, flying the plane, and planning his next flying adventure. In retirement he was an active member of the Masons and Shriners, and most recently a board member with the Nicola Valley Fish & Game Club.

On the other hand, Amber settled into retirement very well. She became active in the Eastern Star, joined several women’s social groups, volunteered at community events, and eventually joined the Merritt Golf & Country Club board of directors. Amber also supported Gordon’s drive to keep working by holding down the fort at home while he traveled the province for work (though she stopped ironing him a fresh shirt every day after he retired the first time). She loved golfing, and she and Gordon spent many days at the Merritt course and trying new courses in their travels down south and around BC.

Above all, Gordon and Amber will be missed by the many people whose lives they touched. Please join us to share memories and stories of these special people with a joyous Celebration of Life at the Royal Canadian Legion located at 1940 Quilchena Ave, Merritt, BC on April 27, 2024 at 1PM.

Should friends desire, donations can be made in memory of Amber and Gordon to your local volunteer fire department or search and rescue unit, or to the Canada Shriners Children’s Hospital program.