Helen Audrey Bjorn of Tullahoma, Tennessee passed from this life on Monday, February 24, 2025, at Vanderbilt Harton Hospital in Tullahoma, following a short illness.
Audrey was born on December 15, 1931, and recently celebrated her 93 rd birthday. She was born in Waukegan, Illinois, the seventh of nine children, to a wounded WWI veteran, Paul Draper and his wife, Sarah. Her parents and siblings all preceded her in death.
Audrey met her husband of 43 years, Thomas Bjorn, after he returned to the States having served with the US Army in occupied Japan following WWII. They met at the University of Illinois-Chicago where Tom studied mechanical engineering, and Audrey took classes and worked as a librarian. Tom served as chief engineer for Stewart-Warner Corporation of Chicago where he spent his entire 35-year career. Audrey worked as an executive secretary for an oil company while living in Northbrook, Illinois until Tom and she retired to a beautiful lakefront home they built in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas.
Audrey and Tom raised two sons, Eric and Kurt, who both graduated from the United States Air Force Academy and served in the Air Force.
Tom passed away in 1995, but Audrey remained in Arkansas with her many friends until she moved to Tullahoma, Tennessee in 2016 to be closer to her son Eric and loving daughter-in-law, Valerie. Audrey loved to travel and cruise the world and went to many faraway places like Australia, New Zealand, South America, the Caribbean, and Europe.
She loved her water exercise friends and was a happy person who always had the most positive outlook on life. She loved to joke and spread joy wherever she went.
Audrey is survived by her sons and their wives (Eric/Valerie and Kurt/Linda), five grandchildren, and five great grandchildren.
The family has asked for your kind thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
Online condolences may be made at www.davesculbertsonfuneralhome.com.
Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home is assisting the family.