Obituary of Bjorn Thorsrud

THORSRUD - Bjorn Thorsrud husband of the Late Lorraine Thorsrud of Yorkton passed away on Saturday July 7, 2018, at the age of 87 while being comforted by his daughter and son-in-law Julianne and Neil Thom. Born to Kristian and Julie (nee Olsen) Thorsrud on May 30th, 1931. Bjorn grew up in Lillehammer, Norway. He was the youngest of three children and is predeceased by his brother: Ugmund, and his sister: Liv. Bjorn grew up as a boy during World War II and personally experienced the German occupation of his homeland when German soldiers used his family's business as a base and bunk house. He was fiercely proud of his family's resistance to German rule. His father and brother directly participated in the Underground during that time. An effort that assisted in the removal of German troops from Norway, but was only recognized well after the fact. Bjorn would take great pleasure in telling the story of how he and other children would put sugar in the gas tanks of Nazi vehicles. As a young man Bjorn traveled from Norway to Canada to do some sightseeing. Enamoured with Canadian hospitality, he decided to stay becoming Norway's one man ambassador to Canada! (appointed by his mother). He obtained his first job at Eaton's Department Store in Toronto in the 1950's by simply walking in and asking. What he lacked in experience he made up with in charm, and Bjorn had charm in spades. He moved into work in Aerial Photography and that took him to Ottawa, the Maritimes, and ultimately to Dauphin, Manitoba where he met John Tycholis, the father of his future wife Lorraine. Unable to resist the tall blond and handsome Norwegian, Lorraine quickly fell for Bjorn (as I am sure he would tell the story). They were married on November 5th, 1960 and together lived an inseparable life. Bjorn and Lorraine went into business together and opened The Canada Paint and Wallpaper Store in Yorkton, Saskatchewan in 1962. Later renamed to Thorsrud's Colour Centre, "The Store" became a passion for Bjorn. A place where he could interact with customers and put his prodigious charm and charisma to good use: selling paint and floor covering of course!! Thorsrud's Colour Centre was a fixture in Yorkton's business community until Bjorn and Lorraine retired in 2005 and closed "The Store" for good: 42 years in business together and still in love with one another. Their love brought into the world Julianne, Karen, and Sharon, his three precious daughters who were always an unending source of pride for Bjorn. Who was Bjorn Thorsrud...? He was many wonderful things:  a prankster who would enjoy telling jokes, wear outrageous costumes at a party, or pretend to trip while bringing you a drink (never got old Bjorn!);  a charmer who spoke three languages and tried to speak 3 more (Bjorn was your go to guy for "thank you" in Chinese);  a man who worked on a Banana Boat out of Africa and once purchased a pet monkey for his mother (ultimate mamma's boy);  a man who was ushered out of the Norwegian Air Force because he tried to impress a girl;  a ladies man who was devoted to one lady;  a bear of a man who became a tiger to some;  a true gentleman who just happened to own the world's smartest dog: Paris Bjorn was at his best when at the centre of things. He was warm and quick to embrace you and tell you how much he cared for you - and he meant it! Thank you Bjorn. He will always be missed by his three daughters: Julianne (Neil), Karen (Walter), and Sharon; grandchildren: Sarah (Aldrick), Kristian, Michael (Kayla), Julian, and Isabella, as well as Paris (his faithful dog) and extended family and friends whose lives Bjorn was a part of. Bjorn left the fjords of Norway for the flatlands of Canada, let us all raise a cognac to his passing to Valhalla where his sweet Lorraine awaits him. "Ské