William F Strunk

William Frank Strunk, Sr., left this life to be with his Lord and eternal family on December 11, 2012. He was the son of Edward R. and Rachael Mae Strunk, born January 4, 1922 in Verona, Pennsylvania.

Frank served in the U.S. Army Air Corps as an aircraft armorer, tow reel operator, and U.S. infantry in the Philippines and South Korea during World War II. He was a commander and life member of V. F. W., Post 7376, Saxonburg, Pennsylvania.

Frank worked and retired from Pullman Standard in Butler, PA. 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 resided 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 VA and OR and most recently in assisted living near his daughter and family in Poulsbo, WA.

Frank is survived by his first wife Geri Walters of Yakima; children Bob (Sandie) Strunk of Chesapeake VA; Jean (Gordon) Parke of Poulsbo, WA; Dick (Marcia) Strunk of Yakima; Don (Michele) Strunk of Springfield, OR., Elsa’s daughter Jena Paxton of Seattle, son John Reid of Yakima, 13 grandchildren and 6 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 Harrison Medical Center who cared for him and appreciated his joyful and thankful spirit.

Visitation will be 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, December 13, 2012 at Keith and Keith Ninth Avenue Chapel. A Funeral Service will be 1:00 p.m. Friday, December 14th at Tieton Drive Bible Chapel, 4305 Tieton Dr., Yakima. Burial will follow at West Hills Memorial Park. To share a memory of Frank, visit www.keithandkeith.com