Zeldora Ruth Bjorklund

Zeldora Ruth (Trippler) Bjorklund was born July 29, 1931 in Chengwatana Township to Charles and Velzora Trippler. Zeldora was the youngest of seven children and was preceded in death by her husband Bernard, both her parents, and brothers Daryle, DeLore, and Dean. Her parents named all their children with names that started with the letter D (a tradition carried on to the next generation) except for the very last baby, Zeldora. She grew up on the Trippler family farm in Pine City in a large family of five boys and two girls. Her life was not an easy one. The family lost their mother when Zeldora was about two so the children were raised primarily by Grandma Trippler. Upon her Grandmother’s death, housekeepers provided for the children until they came of age and could care for themselves. The girls cared for the house and the boys took care of the farm. Zeldora’s childhood was not an especially easy one, but it made for a close knit family who loved each other and remained close while raising families of their own. The Trippler children managed to find plenty of time to play and torment each other. Zeldora shared a story with her grandchildren about a time when she, her brother Dormon and sister Dulcie were swimming in the lake when Dormon managed to cut his knee. Dormon told his sisters that a sea monster had attacked him. It was a long time before Zeldora or her sister could be convinced to go swimming with Dormon again. The children also liked to play baseball when there were enough of them around. Zeldora was too little to really play with her siblings, but she did manage to get hit with a bat trying to be part of the game. Zeldora and her siblings did not have much, but they had each other. Zeldora’s brother Dormon shared what he remembers the most is that “it was us”. He further shared “without a mother in the house and with a father who was absent a lot, my sisters became our “mom” and I think they did a really good job of keeping us fed. Zeldora was and will always be my baby sister, I will miss her”. As a young woman Zeldora met and soon married Bernard Bjorklund on October 15, 1948. They moved to the Trippler homestead, and it was here, they raised three daughters Deborah, Denise, and Dena. Zeldora is best known for the years she worked as a cashier at Doran’s Jack and Jill and Nelson’s Country Market. On weekends she would help take tickets at the Pine Camp Ballroom. She retired in 1992 to help care for her grandchildren. Zeldora enjoyed reading, word puzzles, watching Days of Our Lives, jigsaw puzzles playing cards, “old time music” and spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren. Cooking was not a favorite past time but she loved to bake. Whenever there was a family gathering her Special K bars were always a favorite treat. In 2007 Zeldora was diagnosed with lymphoma. The following years were met with minor medical problems until she had a stroke in September 2015. After her stroke she continued to decline in health until her death on November 23, 2015. Zeldora is survived by her daughters Deborah Wigmore of Florida, Denise and her husband Ervin Eckmann of Coon Rapids, Dena and her husband Larry Krautbauer of Hinckley, grandchildren: Colette Jefferson, Kyle Christensen, Justin Bye, Derek Wigmore, Ryan Wigmore, Haley Krautbauer, Brooke Krautbauer, and Rachel Krautbauer; four great grandchildren: Robert Christensen, Raven Christensen, Logan Christensen, and Leah Christensen; and great great grandson Rome; siblings Dewey (Dorothy) Trippler of Tennessee, Dormon (Eleanor) Trippler of Lindstrom, Dulcie Rolison of Madison, Wisconsin. Zeldora is preceded in death by her husband Bernard "Bun" Bjorklund, parents Charles and Velzora (Pogue) Trippler; brothers Daryle, Dean and DeLore Trippler. Reverend Vicki Vander Vegt will officiate funeral services for Zeldora Bjorklund at 11:00 AM Monday, November 30, 2015 with a time of visitation and reviewal 7:00-9:00 PM Sunday, November 29, 2015 and one hour prior to the service all at the Swanson Funeral Chapel in Pine City. Interment will take place in the Birchwood Cemetery in Pine City. Funeral arrangements for Zeldora Bjorklund are entrusted to: Funeral and Cremation Service of Pine City, Swanson Chapel. www.funeralandcremationservice.com