Barry Lee Bjork

Barry Lee Bjork was born June 16, 1942, in Olympia, Washington. He was baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Olympia, where the family attended until moving to Lacey and becoming founding members of Faith Lutheran Church. Barry passed away January 18, 2025, in Lynnwood, WA. 

Barry valued his family and his Scandinavian ancestry both Danish and Finnish. He was predeceased by his cherished wife Lisa Bjork, his parents, Marcella Christenson Bjork and Edmund Bjork, grandparents John and Minnie Christenson and Matt and Alina Bjork and cousin Kim.. Barry remembers spending many happy holidays and vacations with his aunts, uncles, and cousins as well as visits to grandpa and grandma Christenson’s Lake home. In addition, there were always dogs he cherished in his life. 

Barry is survived by cousins Rymmel, Christenson Lovell (Tedd), Lindy Christenson James (Francis) and Randy Christenson. Throughout the years, he also maintained strong friendships with schoolmates, neighbors, and colleagues through work or church.  

Barry was a lifelong learner and reader. He began as a toddler by reading biographies of the U.S. Presidents, and continued learning at Washington Elementary and Middle school, and Olympia High School, class of 1959. 

In addition to his passion for learning, Barry also had a love for music, from his early years as a piano student, to participating in Olympia High School choir and double quartet. He continued to enjoy choir at the University of Washington where he received a B.A. in Business Administration with an emphasis on Human Resources in 1963.

At St. Martin’s College, 1964-1965, Barry discovered his love of teaching as a way to share his own love of history and political science. He received a teaching credential and fondly remembered his student-teaching at Tumwater High School. From there, he went on to Washington State University where he received a MA in Political Science in 1967.

Barry joined VISTA in 1967 and was assigned to the Community Service Organization which served Mexican Americans in East Los Angeles, where he met his wife, Lisa Devlin, who was a community organizer. They were married August 2, 1969, in San Diego, California at the Naval Chapel in an ecumenical service since Barry was Lutheran and Lisa was Catholic. 

After two years of teaching in the Pasadena City Schools, Barry returned with his wife Lisa to Northwest in 1970. They both found jobs in Bellingham, WA. Barry was hired by the City of Bellingham in 1972 where he spent two years in the Planning Department and then was asked to develop a human Resources department where he served as Director for the next decade. In addition to creating new policies and programs for 600 employees, he oversaw Civil Service, hiring, staff development and labor relations.

In 1984, Barry and Lisa took a two-year mid-life work break, and they moved to Boston, Massachusetts to begin doctoral programs. Motivated by his lifelong love of American history, Barry selected Boston College, where he received a full scholarship, and began a Ph.D. program in American history, graduating in 1995. Lisa began her Ed Doctorial program in educational administration at Harvard University, graduating in 1991.

When they returned to the Northwest, Barry continued work on his writing and began to fulfill his dream of teaching American history and political science in higher education. Barry enjoyed his years at western Washington University, Eastern Washington University as well as various community colleges. 

In 1992 Barry and Lisa moved to Whidbey Island after Lisa took a position as assistant superintendent, later superintendent, with the South Whidbey School District and Barry continued teaching. They purchased land in Greenbank Washington, across from the Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens and built a home where they enjoyed a beautiful woodland garden with room over the years for their Scotties; Angus, Moffat, Brigadoon, Kelty and Bobby as well as the enjoyment of the many birds and other “critters.” 

One Hobby that linked Barry’s love of learning, nature and history was travel. Barry began as a youngster, traveling with his mother and father each summer, and ultimately visiting all 50 states. After marriage to Lisa, the foursome often visited historic and literary sites, national parks, and baseball stadiums. By the 1980’s and for the next 40 plus years, Barry and Lisa added travels to Great Britain, Russia, China, Israel, Japan, Italy, and France, on their own by train and car. They also enjoyed a trip on the Knutsen Line freighter and a Baltic cruise. Especially memorable was Barry’s exploration of Denmark, and the discovery of his Grandfather Christenson’s birthplace and roots there. In later years, Barry and Lisa spent 10 years with their two mothers on annual road trips in the Northwest. 

Clearly, Barry was blessed with a rich and full life with many memories to treasure, with work that served others, with talents that were shared. We will miss him, but his legacy will continue.

Service: Will be held graveside at Masonic Cemetery, Tumwater Washington, March Friday 28, Noon. 

Send memorials to: Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens Greenbank, WA, Trinity Lutheran Church Endowment, Freeland, WA, or your favorite charity.