Lawrence Strenge

Lawrence Elmer Strenge was born March 20, 1930 at Mt. Lake, MN, the son of Eilert and Gerdena (Siefkes) Strenge. Lawrence went to Mt. Lake Country School. He met Grace at the Cottonwood County Fair and they were united in marriage in 1950 at Bethany Lutheran Church near Bergan, MN. Lawrence served in the military, being stationed in Alabama teaching young recruits on the artillery range. They then moved to Windom, MN. where he sold cars for Silliman Motors, before moving his family to New Ulm to manage Valley Grain Co. He purchased his first grain elevator, Larry's Grain and Feed in Cazenovia, near Pipestone, MN. in 1957. After selling this business, he moved the family to Odin in 1966, where he purchased the Odin Elevator, and later added the Lime Creek Elevator. After growing these businesses, he opened commodities trading offices in St. James and Sleepy Eye. In his retirement Lawrence enjoyed gardening and tending his flowers, fishing, golfing, traveling and spending time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Lawrence is survived by his wife Grace Strenge of Luverne, children Larry (Elizabeth) Strenge of Rice, Diane (LaRoy) Fast of Butterfield, Mike (Deanna) Strenge of Sioux Falls, SD, Timothy (Stephanie) Strenge of Fulda, 9 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren, sisters Evangeline "Vangie" Harder of Mt. Lake, and Florence Snook of Ironton. He is preceded in death by his parents, daughter Linda Marie, brothers George, Dick, Calvin, Eilert and John, sisters Dena Carlson, AnnaBelle Olson, Margaret Rosenburg, Gretchen Huebsch, and Josephine Penner. First Visitation 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm Saturday, December 6, 2014 Sturm Funeral Home, St. James Chapel 906 - 10th Ave. S. St. James, Minnesota, United States 56081 Second Visitation 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Sunday, December 7, 2014 Augustana Lutheran Church- St. James 603 Armstrong Blvd. N. PO Box 151 Saint James, Minnesota, United States 56081 Service Information 2:00 pm Sunday, December 7, 2014 Augustana Lutheran Church- St. James 603 Armstrong Blvd. N. PO Box 151 Saint James, Minnesota, United States 56081