Established on 02.25.2016 by Julie (Bjerke) Blehm '74 †
Orvis and Dorothy Bjerke were married in the Washington Prairie Church, Hatton, ND. Dorothy was born in Northwood, ND and Orvis in Hatton, ND. Both graduated from Hatton High School. Orvis went on to attend Luther College for one year, then realized his calling as a farmer and returned to help his father with the farm. Dorothy went on as a 1950 graduate of Fairview Hospital School of Nursing. She worked at Worthington Hospital, Worthington, MN; Union Hospital, Mayville, ND; and the Hatton Prairie Village. Orvis and Dorothy spent their married life on the farm and were married for 45 years until his death in 1996. They deeply valued giving their children the opportunity to pursue a degree in higher education and sent three of their five daughters to Concordia. Julie (Bjerke) Blehm ’74, Rebecca (Blehm) Mason ’76, Mary Blehm’81. It is with gratitude for their encouragement and commitment to their daughters’ education that the Orvis and Dorothy Bjerke scholarship was created.
The Orvis and Dorothy Bjerke Endowed Scholarship is awarded by the Financial Aid Committee. Selection is based on academic achievement and financial need.
† - Testamentary endowments may not be contributed to until they are fully established.