Carl Ross Bjork, 76, passed away December 20, 2021, at the Robert J Dole VA Medical Center, Wichita. He was born July 30, 1945, in a Lutheran Children's Home in Richmond, Virginia. That same day his loving adoption parents, Stanley & Donna Bjork, were there to receive him as their own. They immediately applied for a girl, and Linnea Roseann became his sister in 1948. In 1951, the family moved to Colorado and the Bjork legacy continued.

Carl graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1964, Denver, Colorado, where he played football, wrestled, was on the YMCA swim team and was an active Boy Scout, plus many other things. He enjoyed bicycling to the mountains, many times by himself. Carl attended CU Denver and Trinidad Junior College, and later Dodge City Community College.

He was drafted into the Army in 1967 and proudly served in the Vietnam war until he was honorably discharged in late 1968. He met Linda Bame in early 1969, soon after he returned from Vietnam, and the two were married May 23, 1970. At that same time, he was transferred by J.C. Penney's from Aurora to Dodge City, a city his wife thought was just on Gunsmoke. He was supposed to be transferred to a bigger city, but that couple of years ended up to be almost 52 years. At his time with Penney's, he played Santa Claus at the mall every Christmas season for several years, at church, and various families and friends, and walked through the hospital to deliver candy canes. One of those special deliveries was a little kitten to a special friend's grandson. He also was the Cookie Monster at the store for a promotion they had.

Carl started working at Skaggs Motors in 1977 as a new and used car and truck salesman. He worked there for 44 years and 9 months, and was trying to make it to 45 years. He continued working with a few owners, and has been a member of Lewis Motor Group for several years. He loved meeting and greeting everyone who came on the lot.

Carl was a member of Christ the King Lutheran church for almost 52 years, a lifetime member of Howard Gotschall Post 1714, VFW of Dodge City, a member of Dodge City Community College's Booster Club for 30 years, and was chosen by the Wamego Honor Flight through Wamego High School in 2019. He was so grateful and honored to be able to go on that honor flight with other veterans.

He is survived by his wife Linda, and two children, Christine Linnea Bjork , Rogers, Arkansas, and Ross Bjork and wife Sonya, College Station, Texas; Christine's children, Mollee Hobson and son Branlee, Oxford, Mississippi; DJ Hobson & fiance Devyn Cima, College Station, Texas; Maggee Hobson, Rogers, Arkansas; and Justise Almeida and husband David and children Remington and Thatcher, Merriam, Kansas; Ross and Sonya's children, Payton and Paxton Bjork, College Station, Texas. Nephew Robb Rivera and wife Michelle, Aurora, Colorado; niece Rebekah Hines and husband Bryan and daughter Addison, Camden, Maine. Also surviving are brothers-in-law Ralph Bame and wife Annette, Glenville, West Virginia; John Bame and wife Mary, Anacortes Washington; Russ Brauneller, Mt. Blanchard, Ohio; sisters-in-law Susan Bame, Grants Pass, Oregon; Kathleen Bame, Rudolph Ohio; and several cousins and many nieces and nephews. Those who passed on before him are his parents, Stanley E. Bjork and Donna A. Bjork, his sister Linnea Roseann Bjork, niece Rachel Rivera, nephew Richard Carl Bjork, great-nephew Cameron Rivera, all from Colorado; his grandparents; and several aunts and uncles he loved so much; and his in-laws Clarence and Reba Bame; brother-in-law Vernon Bame and sister-in-law Betty Brauneller, all from Ohio.

Memorial service will be held at Christ The King Lutheran Church on Tuesday, January  4, 2022 at 10:00 AM.  Burial will follow at Kansas Veterans' Cemetery at Ft. Dodge with full military honors.  Visitation will be at Swaim Funeral Chapel on Sunday, January  2, 2022 from Noon to 6:00PM with the family present from 2:00 to 6:00 PM.  Memorials are suggested to Christ the King Lutheran Church, 1008 W Beeson, Dodge City KS 67801; The Linda and Carl Bjork Scholarship Fund at Dodge City Community College, 2501 N 14th, Dodge City KS; or Wamego Honor Flight - Wamego High School, C/0 Manhattan Community Foundation, 555 Poyntz Avenue #269, Manhattan KS 66502.