Thomas Albert Strah, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, great-great-grandfather and friend was released from this mortal life on December 14, 2009 surrounded by family at the Oneida County Hospital. His death was due to the complications of a stroke.
Thomas was born June 07, 1922 in Kitzmiller, Maryland to Franc Strah and Marija Kozlevcar Strah. He was the last living member of his immediate family, which included Francis, Mary, Joseph, and Frank. He graduated from Kitzmiller High School and left for Indiana State Teachers College in Terra Haute, Indiana. While in school, he earned 35 cents an hour as a dishwasher. He enlisted in the US Air Force and received training as a radio mechanic.
During his service years, he was stationed in Pocatello, Idaho, where he met his life-long love, Helen DeLaMare Strah, at a dance. After borrowing fifty dollars from Helen to purchase a car, he married her in Pocatello on November 5, 1944. Tom and Helen were later sealed in the Idaho Falls Temple on their 31st Wedding Anniversary in 1975.
While in the service, Tom was preparing join the fight on Okinawa when Japan surrendered. The couple returned to Indiana where Tom graduated with an Industrial Arts degree and received the Outstanding Student Award. The young family moved to Elwood Indiana where he taught elementary school for four years.
In 1952, they decided to move to California. A stop to visit family in Pocatello, Idaho, resulted in Tom and Helen and children staying put in Pocatello where Tom became an Industrial Arts and Mathematics teacher at Alameda Junior High. He stayed with School District 25 until 1984. During this time, Tom earned his Master in Educational Administration from Idaho State University. He retired from the school district after gaining many friends and serving 22 years as the Director of Secondary Education. After retirement, he worked with the district forming a successful Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Program for a number of years.
After retirement, he became active in the Pocatello Retired Teachers Association and served as president in 1991. In 1992-1993, Tom and Helen served in the Oklahoma Tulsa Mission. Once returning home from their mission, they decided to move south to warmer climates and settled in Malad, Idaho.
All through his life, Tom loved to work with his hands. He remodeled a number of homes for his family as well as friends. In both his professional and personal life, he was known for his strong work ethic, problem-solving capabilities and his desire to do a job well done. He served in various civic organizations and church leadership positions in the bishoprics and stake presidencies. But many of the fondest family memories are camping and fishing in the wilds of Idaho.
Tom is survived by his wife, Helen and their children Thomas Michael, Jeffery Allen, Robert McKendrick, Steven Brian, Kristina Ann (Michael Allen), Mary Kathleen (Scott Ray), and Melanie Gay. He was preceded in death by twin sons, David and Daniel, and a daughter Elizabeth Mae. Through the years, his family has grown to include 16 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Funeral services will be held at noon on Monday, December 21, 2009 at the LDS Malad Stake Center 1250 N. 1100 W. in Malad, Idaho. Viewings will be held Sunday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at Horsley Funeral Home, in Malad, and again Monday morning from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Burial will be in Mountain View Cemetery in Pocatello, Idaho.
Funeral arrangements are under the care of Horsley Funeral Home.