100 years + 2 months + 20 days = quite a long run. Earl (Red) Victor Bjurman passed away in his sleep early Friday morning, 20 November 2020. When Earl was born, Woodrow Wilson was President and Women had just received the right to vote.
Earl was a lifetime “Car Guy”. His first car at age 16 was a 1923 Oakland Roadster he purchased for $5 in quarters. He retired after 39 years with General Motors in 1980 as Assistant General Service Manager for the Buick Motor Division. Earl accomplished the unique benchmark of being retired and drawing a pension for longer than he worked. He was married for 68 years to his beloved wife, Betty, who passed in 2013.
Born in Alhambra, California with red hair his first job was in the Motor Department of the Packard dealership in downtown Los Angeles. He traveled by train across country to Flint, Michigan to enter General Motors Institute (GMI) on his 21st birthday in September 1941. His job at GMI was being the weekend driver for the Harlow Curtis Family. After only 98 days in Flint, Earl learned of the Pearl Harbor attack when a movie was interrupted at the Michigan Theater in downtown Flint. His sponsoring unit at GMI was Allison Aircraft Engines in Speedway, Indiana. Earl ended up in Ireland repairing shot-up engines and preparing planes for the invasion of North Africa. After the war he returned to GMI as an instructor. From GMI he joined Buick in Minneapolis in 1948 then to Milwaukie in 1950 then to Madison in 1952 then to Jacksonville, Florida in 1954 then to San Francisco in 1958 and finally back to Flint at Buick Headquarters in 1969. He was known throughout GM / Buick as “Red”. In retirement, Red worked for the International Retired Executive Service Corps as a consultant to GM dealers in Egypt and Zambia.
Earl is survived by: his two children, Robert (Debby) Bjurman and Mary (Dr. Lee) Rossmaessler; four grand children, Matthew (Jennifer) Bjurman, Megan (John) Smith, Tyler (Emily) Rossmaessler and Tucker (Alexandra) Rossmaessler; ten great grand children, Addison and Anderson Bjurman, Lily and Anna Smith, Ella, Adelaide, Cordner, Bo, Linden and Porter Rossmaessler; two foster daughters, Cheryl and Roxy and two “adopted” daughters, Barb and Lexa.
Earl’s legacy is his loving, humble and serving spirit. Using his automotive skills, he was the unofficial mechanic for the widows and single moms at his church in each city where he lived. Many times folks who worked for Red at Buick came into his office, closed the door and shared their personal problems seeking his wisdom and comfort.
As a U.S. Army Air Corps Veteran, Earl will be buried in the Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly, Michigan with a private family service.
In lieu of flowers, do something Earl would do - - pay it forward. Perform a random act of kindness, repair your neighbor’s snow blower, pay for the car behind you, donate to your favorite non-profit or call an old friend TODAY.
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