Pearl Elaine (Baker) Bjorgen passed away early Monday afternoon, July 1, 2024 in her home surrounded by her children. Pearl was born November 3, 1930 to John Ulysses Baker and Rosa Pearl (Warman) Baker at home on the Baker farm in the country near Noonan, ND. She attended a one-room school through 8th grade and graduated from Crosby High School in 1949. She worked as a waitress at the Crystal and Star Cafes in Crosby. She also worked at a dry-cleaning business in Williston, ND. She met Bernard (Bob) Bjorgen while working at the Crystal Café. Bob and Pearl were married on June 10, 1951. They lived and farmed in the northwest corner of North Dakota, near the Montana and Canadian borders until the fall of 1957 when they moved to the Flathead Valley in Montana. They farmed near Pablo, owning and operating a Grade A dairy farm until 1972. After selling the dairy farm, Bob bought property at the foothills of the mission range east of Pablo and built a house. They remained there until 2001 when they moved to Spokane to be near their daughters. After selling the farm, Bob began building and remodeling homes. Pearl worked hard her whole life helping Bob with farming and his carpentry business.
Their son Landis was born in August of 1952, and their daughter Gail in December of 1954, both born in Williston, ND. In 1953, she had a daughter who died shortly after birth. Two more daughters joined the family; Colleen in May of 1959, and Virginia (Ginger) in August of 1960 in Polson, MT.
Pearl made her choice to serve God on May 18, 1980, and remained faithful to that choice to the end. One of her requests was that there would be several hymns sung at her funeral, as they were very precious and encouraging to her.
Pearl always had a large garden where she grew vegetables and flowers. Summertime meals on the table often included several vegetables from her garden. She loved taking some of her flowers as gifts to anyone who was sick, for birthdays, or just because she wanted to share the joy of her flowers. The dairy farm had an orchard of fruit trees with many varieties of apples, cherries, and plums. She did a lot of canning and freezing of fruits and vegetables. She was a wonderful cook, and some of you may remember her famous buns that she made. There was never a meal served that didn’t include some of those buns.
Pearl also loved to keep in touch with family members and friends by sending handwritten cards and letters. When Bob and Pearl went shopping, if he couldn’t locate her, the first place to look was the greeting card aisle, he was sure to find her there.
Pearl was preceded in death by her husband Bob, her parents, nine siblings and their spouses, and one daughter. Still living are her children Landis, Gail (Dale), Colleen (Stan), and Ginger, nine grandchildren, fifteen-great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. Also surviving is Bob McKean, who spent summers and weekends working on the farm. In 1970, his mother and grandmother were killed in a car and train accident. After that, Bob and Pearl became his legal guardians and he has remained a part of this family.
A visitation for Pearl will be held Friday, July 19, 2024 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM, and all are welcome to participate in the singing of hymns in the chapel from 7:30 to 8pm, at Ball & Dodd Funeral Home, 5100 West Wellesley Ave, Spokane, WA 99205. A secondary opportunity for a visitation will occur Saturday, July 20, 2024 from 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM, and the funeral service will follow at 11:00 AM. Pearl's final resting place will be at Fairmount Memorial Park, 5200 W Wellesley Ave, Spokane, WA 99205. A graveside service will follow the funeral on Saturday, July 20, 2024 at 12:30 PM
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.11.2