David Bruce Jorgenson

David Bruce Jorgenson departed this world Oct. 31. He was a resident of the Key Peninsula from 2001 to 2022 and a visitor to the area since 1977. The son of Ernest and Nona Jorgenson, he moved his family to the KP to be near them and his two sisters, Ramona George and Lynda Wickline, after his retirement.

Although quiet in demeanor, the twinkle in David’s eye and dimpled smile invited people to speak to him one-on-one and enjoy great conversations. He was a lifelong learner, often reading three or four books at once. After retiring as a geologist, he started a hobby repairing antique radios and later ran a Furniture Medic franchise.

The impact David had on his family, friends, and community is immeasurable. He and his wife, Karen, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in April 2025. Their love only grew as they navigated life in true partnership. As a parent, he was emotionally present, kind, and fun. His last words to his family were of his love and the pride he took in them. Friends and family say his wit, sense of humor, and kindness will be how he is remembered.

Some of David’s greatest personal achievements came from his and Karen’s choices to open their hearts and homes to others. In the late 1970s, they forged a lifelong bond with a family their church sponsored to settle in Michigan from a refugee camp in Thailand after the Vietnam War. David and Karen were foster and adoptive parents. They provided homes for four exchange students. As parents of a child with disabilities, they used their knowledge to help other parents navigate school for their children with learning differences. Throughout his life, in all the communities he lived in, David performed large and small acts of community service. In 2022, they moved from the KP to Norfolk, Virginia, to be with family.

David is survived by his sister Lynda; wife Karen; daughters Kirsten (Mark), Alyssa (Jonathan), Lindsay, and Tabor (Richard); grandchildren Mariah (Steven), Joanna, Elijah, and Nyla; and great-grandson Julian David.