Visitation will be Saturday, March 9, at 2:00pm followed by a memorial service at 3:00pm at Mt. Moriah, Newcomer & Freeman Funeral Home, 10507 Holmes Road, Kansas City, Missouri.
Marsha was born on June 26, 1956, the youngest of three children born to Theodore and Susan (Sawyer) Bjerkan. A lifelong Kansas City area resident, she graduated from Shawnee Mission East High School and received a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree from the University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, where she was a member of Chi Omega sorority.
Marsha was ambitious, enterprising, and loved to work. She spent much of her career with AT&T, T-Mobile, and in private consulting, managing hundreds of people, and most recently with Morgan Stanley. But no job was too insignificant, and she had many, including her childhood popsicle stand, a lawn care business, restaurant waitress, bus driver, Colorado firefighter, travel tour guide, book author, home buyer and renovator, and landlord.
People were her passion and she easily engaged others to share their life stories. She was an ever positive spirit and personified the title of her book, “Simply a Role Model”.
She never shied away from physical activity and pursued long distance biking, hiking, marathons, triathlons, tennis, golf, and yoga.
With her beloved rescue dog, Andie, they formed a certified therapy team that brightened many souls.
Family was her priority and she never missed a chance to support her nephews and niece, whom she adored, and together they enjoyed many laughs, long talks, and spirited games of poker.
She is survived by her brother James T. Bjerkan (Deborah) of Leawood, sister Kristine Lawrence (Dean) of Weatherby Lake, Missouri, nephews Hans and Erich, niece Lillian, and countless loving friends.
Marsha will be greatly missed by the many lives that she touched. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Pets for Life or Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care.
