John Strok

John Strok, beloved husband, father, grandfather, master craftsman, and man of deep faith, peacefully entered the presence of the Lord on May 13, 2026, in Naples, Florida, surrounded by his family. He was 89 years old.

John was born on January 4, 1937, in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, to Carpio and Esperanza Strok. When he was two years old, his family moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where the foundations of his faith, work ethic, and craft began to take shape.

At sixteen, John stepped into a neighborhood jewelry shop not as a craftsman, but as a boy with a broom. By day, he went to school. In the evenings, he cleaned the shop. At night, after the doors closed, the jeweler taught him the trade. It was an old-world apprenticeship: slow, demanding, and built on patience, discipline, and care.

Through years of careful instruction, John learned the craft of jewelry repair. It was there, in that small neighborhood shop in Buenos Aires, that he developed the skill, precision, and quiet pride in workmanship that would shape the rest of his life.

In 1960, John immigrated to the United States, first settling in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was there that he built his early life with his beloved wife, Cathy, whom he married in 1965. Together they shared more than sixty years of marriage, building a home and a life rooted in faith, hard work, and deep devotion to one another.

Together, John and Cathy welcomed three daughters: Elizabeth, Natalie, and Ruth. John saw his family as one of God's greatest blessings in his life, and his devotion to them was steady, selfless, and unwavering. He provided, protected, taught, guided, and showed up in the consistent ways that defined him.

Later in life, his joy grew with the arrival of his four grandchildren: Marlee, Nathan, Marcel, and Silvia. He was deeply proud of the family he and Cathy built together.

In 1979, John and Cathy moved their family to Seattle, Washington. John worked in jewelry manufacturing and later as a bench jeweler before his path led him to a small neighborhood shop called Kenmore Jewel Box. There he met Emmett Williamson.

Their working relationship grew into something much deeper, and when Emmett retired, he asked John to take over the business, saying John was like the son he never had.

In 1984, Kenmore Jewel Box became John's shop, and over the next forty years it became an extension of John himself.

John was known for his skill, patience, ingenuity, and honesty. If the right tool did not exist, he made one. If a repair seemed impossible, he found a way. He had the rare ability to see not only what an object was, but what it could become with care, imagination, and steady hands.

At Kenmore Jewel Box, John served his community with the same honesty, humility, and care that guided his life. Customers trusted him because he was skilled, but even more because he was fair and deeply principled. If someone asked for a repair they did not need, he told them the truth. If a repair took only a moment, he often refused payment and told them to put a few dollars in the offering at church instead.

He had a special reverence for pieces connected to faith. Crosses, Saint Christopher medals, rosaries, and other religious pieces were never just jewelry to him. They were prayer, comfort, memory, and faith carried close to the heart.

Faith was at the center of John's life. He loved the Lord deeply and was a devoted longtime member of First Slavic Full Gospel Church, where he began attending in 1980. His prayers were filled with gratitude. He thanked God for his family, his work, his church, and the many blessings in his life.

John worked hard his entire life, but he always knew his strength and blessings came from above. One passage especially dear to John was 2 Timothy 4:7–8. He lived the words: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." And we take comfort knowing he now rests in the presence of the Lord he loved so deeply.

That faith shaped how he lived. It made him humble, generous, steady, and deeply grateful. John never measured success by money or status. His hope was simple: that his life would reflect the Lord he loved, and that when people saw him walking down the street, they would see what he tried to be every day: a man of God, honest, humble, generous, and full of integrity. By that measure, John lived a truly successful life.

John's legacy lives on in his family, his church, the community he served, the countless people he quietly helped, and every life touched by his honesty, faith, craftsmanship, and love. Most of all, he will be remembered just as he hoped: a man of God — honest, humble, and full of integrity.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Cathy Strok; his daughters, Elizabeth Garcia, Natalie Hager, and Ruth Strok; his son-in-laws, Kevin Hager and Daniel Humphries; his grandchildren, Marlee Hager, Nathan Hager, Marcel Garcia, and Silvia Garcia; and his siblings, Sara, Paul, Peter, and Susana.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Carpio and Esperanza Strok; his brothers, Adolf Strok and Carlos "Samuel" Strok; and his son-in-law, Carlos Garcia.

Services celebrating John's life will be held Sunday, June 7, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Acacia Memorial Park in Seattle, with the inurnment and a reception to follow.

Flowers are warmly welcomed. For those who would prefer to give in another way, the family invites donations to two causes close to John's heart and faith:

Care Net — an organization that supports families, parents, and unborn children in times of need, reflecting John's deep love of life and family.

Direct Ukraine Humanitarian Relief — given through John's longtime home church, First Slavic Full Gospel Church. The fund sends clothing, essential supplies, and direct financial aid straight to families affected by the crisis in Ukraine, honoring John's lifelong passion for quietly helping those facing hardship.