Urho W. Bjork, 97, of Upson, Wis., died peacefully Tuesday, April 8, 2008, at home, with his family by his side, following a brief illness. He was born Jan. 22, 1911, in Iron Belt, son of the late Jonas and Anna (Kangas) Bjork, and attended the Iron Belt School. He worked in the woods and farmed, and was employed as a welder in the Fraser Shipyards in Superior, Wis. and in California. He also served stateside in the U.S. Army during World War II. Following his discharge from the Army, Urho farmed with his wife in Upson from 1948-1964. He also was employed in maintenence for the Louisiana-Pacific Co. in Mellen for 25 years, retiring in 1976. An excellent musician, Urho played the saxophone and clarinet in the Bjork Brothers Band on the Range for many years. His passion was his old Ford tractor, and he also enjoyed hunting, gardening and making firewood. On Sept. 5, 1938, he was united in marriage to the former Martha V. Warren in Mellen. She preceded him in death on April 18, 1997. Surviving are a son, Roger (Karen), and daughter, Sheila (Gary) Lutz, both of Upson; five grandchildren, Alan (Theresa) Conley, Jeannine (Dan) Talbot, and Denise Conley, all of Mellen; Kristin Bjork (Jeff), Upson; and David (Brenda) Lutz, Glidden; eight great-grandchildren, Paul, Brandon, Krystina and Christopher Conley, Alexandra and Hailey Lutz, Cody Lyons and Lacey Smitey, all of Mellen; a brother, Raphael Bjork, Ashland; numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, and cousins; and sisters-and-brothers-in-law, Vienna and Eugene Kaartunen, Ironwood, Shirlee and Robert Lantta, Iron Belt, Barbara and Glenn Scribner, Mellen, and Lucy Marita, Marengo. Besides his parents and wife, Urho was preceded in death by four brothers, Arne, Donald, Thorvall and Reino; and three sisters, Lempi Bjork in infancy, Ruth Dahl and Martha Kalla. Funeral services will be held Friday, April 11, at 11 a.m., at the McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home, 305 No. Lowell St., in Ironwood, with the Rev. James Imse, pastor of the Congregational United Church of Christ in Mellen, officiating. Committal services will follow at the funeral home, with burial to take place in Greenwood Cemetery in Upson later this spring. Relatives and friends may call at the funeral home one hour prior to the service on Friday. To view Urho's obituary online, sign the guestbook and express condolences, visit mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are with McKevitt-Patrick and Engstrom Funeral and Cremation Services of Ironwood and Hurley.