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Obituary for Gary Strahm
Gary G. Strahm, 70, passed away at his home in Harbor on September 19, 2012 surrounded by family into the loving arms of his Heavenly Father. He died just 6 weeks after being diagnosed with aggressive lung cancer. Gary was born November 11, 1941 in Hawthorne, Nev. to Harve and Ruth (Wilkins) Strahm. The family moved to Brownsboro, Ore. when Gary was 2 and then to Phoenix, Ore. when he was 7. They moved to Brookings when Gary was a sophomore in high school. Following graduation, he attended Oregon State University where he earned a degree in Forestry and a degree in Business. During his college years, Gary returned to Curry County in the summer and on holidays to work with the Forest Service. Following graduation from OSU, Gary was drafted into the US Army where he served in San Francisco during Vietnam. He returned to Curry County to work for the Forest Service from 1968-1971 before being transferred to the Trout Lake, Wash. area where he worked 3 more years. Gary resigned from the Forest Service in 1974 and returned to Curry County where he joined his dad and brother farming lily bulbs. He worked with them for over a decade. Gary would succeed his dad and brother in the business and operated it until retiring in 2006. He then owned and operated Strahm’s Storage on his former farmland. Gary married Sonja Hagen in Brookings on May 13, 1967. He was a member of Grace Bible Church most of his adult life and served on their Board for more than 40 years as a deacon and church treasurer. In addition to the church board, Gary served on the Brookings Harbor School District Board and the Board of Directors for the Curry County Soil Conservation District. He was also a loyal Bruin football fan. Gary enjoyed being outdoors. He liked to hunt and fish, and since retiring had taken up camping, fly fishing and kayaking. He also loved to reload his own ammunition which he often custom designed. Earlier in his life, Gary was a private pilot and owned several different aircraft. His love of his family and spending time with them was a hallmark of Gary. His family will remember him as an honest, gentle, caring and faithful husband, father and grandfather who loved the Lord. He will be greatly missed. Survivors include his wife of 45 years, Sonja of Brookings, daughter and son-in-law Debbie and Don Hodges of Puyallup, Wash., son and daughter-in-law, Devan and Hollie Strahm of Brookings, grandchildren, Jake and Emma Hodges, Gabe, Joe and Mia Hoenke, Aiden and Lily Strahm, brothers and sisters-in-law, Rod and Kathy Strahm of Clovis, Calif. and Steve and Linda Strahm of Brookings, sister and brother-in-law, Shirley and Carl Bowden of Brookings, sister-in-law and brother-in-law Sylvia & Mark Baker and numerous nieces and nephews. Gary was preceded in death by a brother, Dwight Strahm. Memorial contributions may be made to Grace Bible Church’s International Bible distribution fund, P.O. Box 1135, Brookings, OR 97415. A celebration of Gary’s life will be held at 11:00am on Saturday, September 29, 2012 at Grace Bible Church, 302 N. Hazel Street in Brookings. Rev. Wil Winter will officiate and will be assisted by Rev. Dr. Gordon Myrah. A luncheon reception will follow at the church.
