Alan Roger Bjorklund

December 2, 1933 ------ January 1, 2014

Alan (Big Al) Roger Bjorklund passed away January 1, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada, after a long illness. He was born December 2, 1933 in Rockford, Illinois to Stanley and Alice Bjorklund.

Al attended Harlem High School in Rockford, Illinois and later graduated from Northwestern University.

He worked for Texas Instruments in Texas and then joined North American Aviation, which later became Rockwell International. At Rockwell, Al worked on the Saturn Apollo space program in Mississippi and at Cape Canaveral.

In support of the Space Shuttle and Space Station programs, he joined Rockwell’s Space Division in Downey, California and later the Rocketdyne Division in Canoga Park, California. Al made significant contributions to the nation’s space and defense efforts throughout his career. Al served as a senior corporate executive for both Rockwell and Boeing. He traveled the world and enjoyed fishing in almost all of it.

Al is survived by his four daughters, Karen Roberts, Laura Anderson, Kristie Bjorklund, Lynda Gray; his son, Marcus Bjorklund; grandchildren Ben Roberts, Kendal & Taylor Anderson, Shayd & Haley Gray, Nicholas Bjorklund; and his sisters Diane Bjorklund and Jan (Marie) Bjorklund.

In the case of Big Al, the term “one of a kind” is not a cliché, it was who he was. He lived life in the moment which made him a very charismatic person to be with and enjoyed the here and now of life. He will be greatly missed by all of the lives he touched.

Graveside Services will be held on Tuesday, January 7, 2014 at 3:00pm at Palm Eastern Cemetery, 7600 S. Eastern Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89123.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation, in Big Al’s name, to Las Vegas Shriners Childrens’ Hospital: ShrinersHospitalsForChildren.org.