Mary Sue Walker Bjorklund

Mary Sue Walker Bjorklund passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Monday, August 15th at the Nursing Center at Little Creek. Born on October 12, 1944 in Greenville, SC to Roscoe Lee Brumback, Sr. and Mary Hess Pearson Brumback, Mary Sue spent the majority of her youth in Memphis, TN before leaving to attend the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. While at UT, Mary Sue was involved in many clubs, excelled in school and followed in her mother’s footsteps by joining Alpha Delta Pi sorority where she formed many lifelong friendships. Mary Sue’s greatest joys were her family and friends. She was incredibly fortunate to have a fabulous group of fiercely devoted friends who circled the wagon after her Lewy Body Dementia diagnosis and subsequent hemorrhagic stroke. They not only supported her, but her family as well and continue to do so. She loved any opportunity to have people over for dinner or drinks. Impromptu evenings on her porch with a gin and tonic or wine and music led to great conversations and lots of joking. Often the recipient of practical jokes by her children, Mary Sue could roll with the punches and would brush the jokes off as if she knew the plan all along. Always up for an adventure, Mary Sue loved to travel and went back to school in her forties and earned her PhD in Nutrition. A semi world famous bread maker, fabulous cook and terrible driver, “Missy Sue” as she was known by many, was a truly sassy lady. She was a voracious reader, art lover, card shark, grammar corrector, word game aficionado, gardener and fly fisherman. Lastly, Mom, Boo Boo, Mary Sue, Missy Sue, Susie and Aunt Bethany (as we affectionately called her) was well loved. She lived a full life with a great deal of passion. She will be missed by many but leaves behind loving family and friends who will keep her memory alive. Her family would like to extend our most heartfelt thanks to the staff, CNA’s, nurses and doctor at the Nursing Center at Little Creek who were nothing short of amazing and gracious in their care of Mom/Mary Sue. Mary Sue is preceded in death by her husband of 35 years, Jerry W. Walker, her parents Roscoe Lee Brumback Sr. and Mary Hess Pearson Brumback as well as her brother Dr. Roscoe Brumback. Mary Sue is survived by her husband of 14 years Larry A. Bjorklund, her daughter, Peary Walker Purvis (Rob), son, Jeremy Walker (Courtney Gleason), grandchildren Hamilton Walker Purvis and Mary Pearson Purvis and brother Dr. George Brumback. She is also survived by her stepchildren Berit Turner (Heath) of Atlanta and Kristin Bjorklund of Ashland, OR and step grandchildren Sutton and Leighton Turner. Friends and family are invited to attend a memorial service at St. John’s Lutheran Church at 3:30 Sunday, August 28th followed by a Celebration of Life from 5-7pm at Cherokee Country Club. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Young-Williams Animal Center located at 3201 Division Street, Knoxville, TN 37919 or Small Breed Rescue of East Tennessee, P.O. Box 22482, Knoxville, TN 37933. On-line condolences may be extended at www.rosefuneraltn.com

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Mary Sue Walker Bjorklund

October 12, 1944 - August 15, 2022