Obituary of Leonard B Bjorkman

The Rev. Dr. Leonard B. Bjorkman, 91, went to be with the Lord, Tuesday, September 27, 2022. Len was born in Guilford, CT to the late Conrad E. and Ann T. (Stone) Bjorkman. He was a graduate of Johns Hopkins University, Princeton Theological and McCormick Theological Seminaries. Len was a lifelong Presbyterian and began his ministry by teaching for three years (1953-1956) as a Short-Term Missionary at Tripoli Boys School, in Tripoli, Lebanon. His experiences there led to his life's passion for seeking peace in the Middle East, especially between the Palestinians and Israelis. Len served as pastor of Fairview United Presbyterian Church, Glen Moore, PA (1960-1968), and at OnondagaValley Presbyterian Church, Syracuse, NY (1968-1986). He then served as an Interim Pastor at seven Presbyterian and Reformed churches in Oswego, Skaneateles, Auburn, Marcellus, Syracuse, and Pompey (1986-2002). In addition, Len was Coordinator of Hunger & Peace Activities for Cayuga-Syracuse Presbytery (1987-1993), retiring formally in 1994.Wherever he served, Len was active in groups which were ecumenical and inter-faith in their search for peace, such as area Councils of Churches, the American Friends Service Committee, Evangelicals for Middle East Understanding, Jewlsh Voices for Peace (and more). In Syracuse, Len was a member of the Syracuse Peace Council, Peace Action of Central New York, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, and was the recipient of awards from the last two groups. He was a faithful member of the Syracuse Area Middle East Dialogue Group, uniquely composed of local Palestinians, Jews, Israelis, and "others" (primarily clergy), at a time (the 1970s) when civil discussions on how to make peace in the Middle East were hard to find. On moving to Owego, Len became active in Broome County Peace Action and Residents Against Fracking Tioga. Len served on several committees at the national level of the Presbyterian Church and in 2006 was awarded the title of Moderator Emeritus of the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship. Several days before Len's untimely death, he was working to publicize the kinds of work which Presbyterian mission co-workers are currently doing in the MIddle East, together with the local congregations to which they relate. Len mentions an issue which affects those in the Middle East but which originated from the USA, viz., "depleted uranium," a heavy metal used by our forces and left as scrap in Iraq. For Len, responsibility for publicizing and working to mediate such matters belongs to us. Len is survived by his wife of 56 years, Judy Bjorkman. He was pre-deceased by his brother and sister-in- law, Conrad and Johanna Bjorkman (1976-'77). Len and Judy became temporary guardians of their three teenage children, Helmut, Christine, and Karen. A celebration of Len's life and a Witness to the Resurrection will be held on Saturday, October 8, 2:00, at the First Presbyterian Union Church, 111 Temple St., Owego, NY. Visiting hours will take place from 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET with services to immediately follow at 2:00 p.m. ET. The services will be livestreamed at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81940289108?pwd=R2NYQzIIMDNleXZoNWtsZXFFd3BHQT09. Meeting ID: 819 4028 9108 Passcode: FPUC. Burial will take place at a later time, for family and area friends, in the Onondaga Valley Cemetery in Syracuse. Condolences to Len's family may be made at www.emfaheyfuneralhome.com. Memorials may be sent to the First Presbyterian Union Church, 111 Temple St., Owego NY 13827 and/or the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship, 17 Cricketown Road, Stony Point, NY 10980. Matt. 5:9: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God"