Margaret Elizabeth Bjork, 98

Published 10:19 am Monday, May 6, 2013

Margaret E. (Plantikow) Bjork, 98, passed away on Friday, May 3, 2013, at Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin, Minn., as the result of a fall.

Margaret Bjork

Margaret was born on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, 1915, in Winona, Minn., to Edwin Esher and Lucy Emelia (Kaiser) Plantikow. She was baptized at Central Lutheran Church and confirmed at St. Matthews Lutheran Church in Winona. She lived in Winona until her father purchased the Homer Store in Homer, Minn. When she was a senior in high school, her family again moved, this time to Austin. There her father opened the first IGA Cash and Carry Grocery Store, which was later known as Plantikow Super Valu. She and her brothers worked for their father in the store. After graduation from Austin High School in 1933, she took post graduate classes in how to operate a comptometer. She then got a job at Hormel where she worked for several years. She met M. Edward Bjork and they were married on Oct. 14, 1937, at St. Olaf Lutheran Church.

Margaret was a devoted member of St. Olaf and participated in many activities. Along with five other women, she started the church Altar Guild and remained active in it for 50 years. She belonged to a Circle, sang in the choir for many years, worked for the Scandinavian Bazaar and made more than 150 shawls for the Prayer Shawl group. She also was a founding member of the Young Matrons in Austin. Many people in the Austin area may know Margaret as the “Caramel corn and Pizzelle lady.” She made, sold and gave away hundreds of cans until she was well into her 90s. She kept a daily diary since 1931 and loved to knit and crochet every day.

We celebrate Margaret as a loving, generous, fun-filled, good Christian woman who lived a full and purpose-filled life. She looked for ways to help others and always put them before herself. She found life more rewarding when she was serving others and serving God.

Margaret sought the will of her heavenly Father each and every day and tried to reflect God’s love. Today she can rest among the angels and saints in heaven knowing she served her father well.

The family wishes to especially thank the compassionate and caring nurses, Nancy and Susan on the second floor, at Mayo Clinic Health Systems in Austin. They provided such comfort during her final journey. Most especially, she would have been unable to live independently in her home for the last several years without the excellent and willing help from Robert (Bob) Wolf.

Margaret was welcomed into heaven by a host of family and friends who went before her, including her parents, Edwin and Lucy; her husband, Ed in 1975; her brothers, John Plantikow and Robert (Jeannette) Plantikow; brothers-in-law, Allen (Elaine) Bjork, Herbert (Arlene) Bjork, R.W. (Lucile) McCanne; and nephew Dr. Ralph (Kathy) Bjork.

Margaret will be deeply missed by her daughter and son-in-law Mary and Tarry Hall, Onalaska, Wis.; granddaughter and her husband, Amy and Christopher Lawson, Brooklyn Center, Minn.; sister-in-law, Mildred Plantikow; nieces, nephews and many cherished friends.

Friends are invited to celebrate a life well lived on Wednesday, May 8 at 11 a.m. at St. Olaf Lutheran Church with Todd Portinga, AiM officiating. Interment will be in Grandview Cemetery. Visitation will be at the church for one hour before the service on Wednesday morning. Clasen-Jordan Mortuary is in charge of arrangements. The family requests memorials to St. Olaf Lutheran Church.