William Frank Strunk Sr.
William Frank Strunk Sr., left this life to be with his Lord and eternal family on Dec. 11, 2012.
He was the son of Edward R. and Rachael Mae Strunk, born Jan. 4, 1922, in Verona, Pa.
Frank served in the U.S. Army Air Corps as an aircraft armorer, tow reel operator and in U.S. infantry in the Philippines and South Korea during World War II. He was a commander and life member of the VFW Post 7376, Saxonburg.
Frank worked and retired from Pullman Standard in Butler as an electric arc welder of covered hopper and trailer train railroad cars for 30 years. He was one of the welders of the first stainless steel railroad car. Frank lived in Tieton for 12 years, owned and operated a small orchard and worked for FMC/Agritech of Yakima. He then moved to Florida for several years and learned to play golf.
He was known in Yakima as an avid fisherman and devout Christian. He enjoyed sharing woodworking skills with family, and sharing his love for fishing and playing the harmonica with his grandchildren. During the last few years of his life, he lived with sons and their families in Virginia and Oregon and most recently in assisted living near his daughter and family in Poulsbo, Wash.
Frank is survived by his first wife, Gerry Walters of Yakima; children, Bob (Sandie) Strunk of Chesapeake, Va., Jean (Gordon) Parke of Poulsbo, Wash., Dick (Marcia) Strunk of Yakima, Don (Michele) Strunk of Springfield, Ore., Elsa's daughter, Jena Paxton of Seattle and son, John Reid of Yakima; 13 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Frank was preceded in death by his oldest son, Bill; his second wife, Elsa Strunk, and her daughter, Susie Weinman.
For those of us able to be with him in the past week, we were blessed to have time to laugh, enjoy him, weep with one another, to share memories of our lives together, and to embrace his remaining moments of life. We extend our thanks and gratefulness to staff at the Harrison Medical Center who cared for him and appreciated his joyful and thankful spirit.
Frank was a member of the Jefferson Center Presbyterian Church, Jefferson Center, Pa., the Westminster Presbyterian Church, Yakima, Wash. and Tieton Drive Bible Chapel, Yakima Wash.
STRUNK — The KEITH AND KEITH FUNERAL HOME, 902 West Yakima Ave., Yakima, WA 98902 is entrusted with arrangements for William Frank Strunk Sr., who died Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. Visitation was Thursday, Dec. 13, at Keith and Keith Ninth Avenue Chapel from 4 to 8 p.m. His funeral service is 1 p.m. today, Dec. 14, at Tieton Drive Bible Chapel, 4305 Tieton Dr., Yakima. Burial will follow at West Hills Memorial Park, Yakima.
