Tomas Carl BJERKELUND

BJERKELUND, TOMAS CARL In great sadness we announce the passing of our loving and caring father and husband, Tomas Carl Bjerkelund on October 24th, 2007 at Pine Grove Nursing Home, Fredericton. He was born in Trois Rivières, Quebec in 1928 to Norwegian-born Carl Johan and Gudrun (Johansson) Bjerkelund, the second of 3 sons, and grew up in East Angus, Quebec. In addition to his wife, Virginia (Sutherland, Née Bliss) Tom is survived by his children: Julie of Mactaquac, NB; Jim (Cathy) of Sault St. Marie; Peter (Tone Meeg) of Fredericton and Susan (Trevor Kapush) of Thunder Bay, ON and his younger brother, Carl of Scarborough, ON; 7 grandchildren: Dana, Jamie, Lindsey, Michael, Kai, Carly and Daniel; 6 nieces and 1 nephew; 2 step-children: Holly Sutherland and Glenn Sutherland (Jenny) in England and three step-grandchildren: Hannah, Rowan and Martin; his previous wife Nancy Merrill; sisters-in-law Mandy Bjerkelund and Viki Bjerkelund-Usiskin (Sid) and brother-in-law Peter Merrill. He was predeceased by his brother Toralf and son David (and his wife, Nona). Attending Bishop's University, Lennoxville, for a year before obtaining a B.Sc.F. at U.N.B. in 1949, Tom was active in sport at both institutions, particularly hockey, playing for the UNB Varsity team. He also organized and instructed a class in archery while a student at UNB. His employment in forest management spanned twenty-one years beginning with the Brompton Pulp and Paper Co., then Anglo Canadian Pulp and Pater Ltd., Domtar Woodlands and Great Lakes Paper Co. His career in industry culminated as Manager, Research and Development at Domtar (Woodlands Division) where he conceived and developed several machines for facilitating tree harvesting including the "Butt'n'top" grapple, and an innovative forwarder for difficult terrain. In 1970 Tom was appointed the first chairman of UNB's Department of Forest Engineering and remained so until 1985 continuing as a professor until he retired in 1994. It flourished, under his guidance, partly because of his national and international contacts including his membership on the Board of the International Union of Forestry Research Organizations (IUFRO). He traveled widely and gave over 70 professional presentations in Canada, USA, Sweden, Norway, Finland, USSA, Japan, Mexico, China, Denmark, New Zealand, Pakistan, Latvia and Czechoslovakia, most of which were published. Tom was a member of the Association of Registered Professional Foresters of New Brunswick, the Canadian Institute of Forestry, the Canadian Pulp and Paper Association, the Council on Forest Engineering (USA and Canada), the Canadian Forestry Association of New Brunswick as well as being active in the United Nations FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization). His chief interests were his family, his work and love of the outdoors, making time to coach hockey when his youngest son was active in the Fredericton Youth Hockey Association. He was also an able amateur architect, designing several of his homes. Following his father's example, he was involved in the administration of the Scouting movement, while living in Beaconsfield, PQ. Tom's family extends sincere thanks to the excellent care giving team at Pine Grove Nursing Home in Fredericton, NB where he ended his thirty year struggle with Parkinson's. There will be a private interment in the St. James Church Cemetery, Jemseg, NB. A memorial to Tom's life will be held at a later date. Messages may be sent via McAdam's Select Community Funeral Home (www.mcadamsfh.com, 458-9170) or to blissful@nb.sympatico.ca. For those who wish, memorial tributes may be made to the Parkinson's Foundation. October 25, 2007