The city has lost a passionate builder of its broadcasting community and a longtime contributor to its charitable heart.
Wayne Bjorgan died at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) on Jan. 26, surrounded by loved ones.
He was 80 years old.
Bjorgan came to Barrie from Saskatchewan in 1961 and began what turned into a 30-year career in broadcasting.
He worked at local radio station CKBB, climbing the ranks from news director to eventually president.
Jeff Walther, who had known Bjorgan for 45 years, told BarrieToday it was a luck that kept bringing them together.
“Wayne hired me in 1974 at CKBB," he said. "Years after that, I started at Georgian College and he was there on the fundraising side. Even when I moved my parents back to Barrie, I ran into him at the apartment they were wanting and he helped get them in there.
"Our paths always crossed and I was glad they did," Walther added.
Bjorgan is also credited with naming the beloved annual charity organization Christmas Cheer.
While Walther said the organization has always been a team effort, Bjorgan was heavily involved with many early aspects.
“I do believe Wayne is the one who came up with the name and it was started back in his radio days,” Walther said. “There were some service clubs who came in to the station, because CKBB was the only one in town back then, and were looking for a way to help at Christmas time for those who needed it.
"Wayne kind of made this umbrella of Christmas Cheer as a place for everyone to donate to," he added. "That was actually one of my first big jobs at the station was packaging all the items and getting them ready for the 30 families we started with. Only 30, so you can see how far this organization has come.”
Bjorgan clearly loved helping others. His resume also includes being a longtime Rotary Club member, as well as sitting on the board of directors for the Women and Children’s Shelter of Barrie and Seven South Street Treatment Centre of Orillia. He was also committed to fundraising for the Barrie Public Library, RVH, Hospice Simcoe and Georgian College Foundation.
Walther says that, despite Bjorgan’s love for lending a hand, broadcasting was in his blood.
“Oh, he loved the broadcast world, loved it dearly,” Walther said. “I don’t know of many things that made him happier than being involved in it.”
Ted Blaker also met Bjorgan at CKBB and knew him from Christmas Cheer. When it came time years ago to build a tribute to those who started the festive giving tradition, the Legacy Wall needed Bjorgan.
“We built a Legacy Wall that we’ve moved from place to place whenever we’ve had to move for Cheer,” said Blaker. “Wayne was among the first on it because he deserved that. He never said no and always wanted to help everyone; he was a great guy and really made things work no matter what he did.”
Visitation for Bjorgan will take place at the Steckley-Gooderham Funeral Home, located in Barrie at 30 Worsley St., on Saturday, Feb. 2 from 2-4 p.m. and from 7-9 p.m. Cremation will follow, with a celebration of life to be announced in the spring.
