Arthur G. Strelow Jr., 76, of Marion, passed away Sunday, March 15, 2015, at the Appleton Medical Center after a strong-willed fight with cancer.
Arthur Gerald Strelow Jr. was born at home in Gresham on Dec. 3, 1938, to Arthur and Eleanor (Reedy) Strelow Sr. He moved with his parents to a farm in the town of Pella, Shawano County, where he attended Willow Creek School. At the age of 11, Art moved to a farm in the town of Larrabee, Waupaca County, where he attended Excelsior School. He graduated in 1955 from Marion High School, where he played baseball for Coach Bartelt. Art’s best accomplishment in high school baseball was making the winning run in a big game against Clintonville.
After graduation, he worked for a short time in Appleton, then returned to Marion to work on the family dairy farm. He met his wife, Norine A. Knope, at dances at the Caroline Ballroom. They were united in marriage on Feb. 14, 1960, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Marion. The couple continued working on the family farm with their children. Art was currently semi-retired from farming, but his passion for helping his son on the farm always kept him going. He wasn’t one to sit around, so he started volunteer driving for Waupaca County Health and Human Services, which he enjoyed greatly. Art took up flower gardening in his later years, and his tulip garden was admired by many in the area.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Norine; four children, Jamie (Raleigh) Moody, of San Diego, California, Keith (Annette) Strelow, of Marion, Tina (Jeffrey) Bonikowske, of Crivitz, and Dawn Strelow, of Crivitz; and four grandchildren, Brandon, of Marion, Blake, Tyler and Izin, of Crivitz. There are two sisters, Darlene Lohrentz, of Pella, and Lily (David) Lorge, of Clintonville. There is one brother, Gary (Yvonne) Strelow, of Clintonville. He is also survived by his mother-in-law, Alice Knope, of Clintonville, and a brother-in-law, Bill (Kim) Knope, of Menasha. Art is further survived by many other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; an infant daughter, Mary; a son, Troy; a grandson, Cole; and his father-in-law, William Knope.
The funeral service will be held on Thursday, March 19, at 7 p.m. at the Beil-Didier Funeral Home, Clintonville. Deacon Thomas Jozwiak will officiate, and burial will be at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery, Marion. Friends may call on Thursday from 4 p.m. until time of service at the funeral home.
A special thanks to our angel, Melissa Bruette, of Appleton, Dr. Xin Yao and the staff in the ICU at Appleton Medical Center for taking such good care of Art.