Gary Bjork passed

[petescoffee]

This was on the pirate board. The LandCruiser world lost an icon this morning - Pirate4x4.Com Bulletin Board

The LandCruiser world lost an icon this morning

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gary Bjork passed today. The originator of the LCML and Toyota Trails is gone. :-(


Long term repercusions from Hepatitis C Picked up during his Navy Days during Vietnam.

Never quite qualified for a liver transplant. Finally died this morning from liver and kidney failure.

"The other Dave Thomas", Hangtowncruzr, his stepson, will probably chime in with more details.

From Dave Thomas (The other Dave thomas, not me)

Our family thanks everyone for the kind words, we are planning a memorial for him and will update this thread for anyone interested. We had some time this afternoon and cleaned up his barn find 1965 FJ45, he loved this truck and it will remain in the family and be restored as a tribute.

Here is the link to the history that Tony Twiddy wrote a few years ago about TLCA.
http://www.tlca.org/tlca/history/part2.shtml

__________________

 

[wapitidon]

I joined TLCA in 94 just for the TT. Gary Bjork was the MAN back then as far as TT and TLCA was concerned in my eyes. The Trails had the funniest stories back then with ficticious names but seemed the tales were only semi-ficticious.
Got to meet him at the swap meet about 5 years ago and felt like he was a celebraty for all he had done. Didn't he also start or help develop LCML?

 

[TRT2]

yep, he was the founder, put that together when the technology was just becoming available. As with so many things cruiser related.

We are all the more fortunate because of him.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

Sorry to hear that...

 

[fj40-james]

I too joined TLCA after meeting Gary on the Rubiton in 91 or 92 when he selflessly gathered a crew and came to my aid without ever knowing me prior, at 11:00 pm at night via a CB radio distress call with a broken rig in big sluice. I have tried ever since to help people in such a manner on the trails from his example. He wil be missed.

 

[Rzeppa]

yep, he was the founder, put that together when the technology was just becoming available. As with so many things cruiser related.

We are all the more fortunate because of him.

I learned through Toyota Trails Editor Todd Kaderabek's post on the TLCA Bodreps email list, and posted up on the LCML. Here is what I posted on the LCML:

I have sad news to share. I learned yesterday evening that Gary Bjork, the founder and longtime admin of this list, and former editor of TLCA's premier publication, Toyota Trails, passed away this past weekend after a long illness.

I have a phone message in to his stepson, Dave Thomas, and will share anything he has to say to us.

I first got to know Gary "Nightlight" Bjork when I was a new member of TLCA, and eagerly read his column and contributions in Toyota Trails. Then I got to know him on this list back in the List's heyday in the 1990s. Long before there were forums, there was this List. I learned tons about Land Cruisers and made a lot of good friends here. Read about Gary's editorial involvement in Toyota Trails here:

TLCA : History Part Two - Toyota Trails

One of the distinctive things that Gary did for our community was partnering with Henry Brimmer. The two of them came up with the idea of transforming Toyota Trails from a black and white newsletter to an award-winning, full color world-class publication dedicated to our beloved Toyota 4x4s. I first met Gary in person at Cruise Moab 2000. He drove a red FJ62 that was so shiny you had to wear shades to look at it. In recent years, I have had some nice long phone conversations with Gary, which I will always cherish.

During the construction, testing and debut of birfield.com, I worked with Gary (and Herb, Jay and Morgan) in testing the site. It never took off as-envisioned, being a day late (figuratively) to Brian "Woody" Swearington's IH8Mud, but through it all, this list has survived.

Long live the Land Cruiser Mailing List, and long live our fond memories of Gary "Nightlight" Bjork.

Keep the Rubber Side Down

Jeff Zepp
TLCA #4063, TLCA President, LCML Admin
Proud Lister since 1997

The outpouring of replies on the List have been coming in steadily.

 

[Combat Chuck]

Well, Gary, I may not have met you, and really only have just heard of you, but any man who's crusaded so passionately for Cruiserkind certainly deserves my respect, even posthumously. Rest well.