Ernest Wilbur Bjorling was born May 30, 1901, to Carl Anton and Wilhelmine Bjorling, homesteading farmers at Hildreth, Neb. He was the youngest of eight children. His parents and one sister parished (sic) in the influenza epidemic of 1919, when he was 17. Several of the others died young. He died Friday, April 19.

Bjorling met his wife, Blanche Calder, at Lincoln where she was attending the University and he was attending auto mechanic school. They were married in April, 1921, and recently celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary.

Mr. and Mrs. Bjorling settled on a farm near Hardy. They had four children, three of whom survived to adulthood. They farmed until his health broke after a siege of pneumonia in 1949. As a result they had to sell the farm and they then moved to Lincoln. Mrs. Bjorling obtained employment as a nurse. A couple of years later Mr. Bjorling had recovered sufficiently to go back to work, although he never walked freely again. He supervised the care of the dairy herd at the University of Nebraska and continued in that capacity for 10 years, until he was retired from the University at the age of 65.

He promptly obtained another job and later worked part-time until in his 70's when a heart condition forced him to limit his efforts to house and garden.

Bjorling was a loyal Mason throughout his adult life, first in the Hardy Lodge and then in the Cotner Masonic Lodge. Achievement of Shriner status in the Tehama Shrine was a great source of pride to him. He was also proud of his Swedish heritage.

Survivors include his wife, Blanche; children, Mary, Edward and Fred, and their families.

Superior Express, Thursday, May 16, 1985