DONALD STROM

Donald Ralph Strom, of Mora, Minnesota, passed away on October 25, 2023 at home surrounded by his family. He was 96 years old.

Donald was born on April 12, 1927, at home, in Hillman Township, Mora, MN to Ralph and Ruth (Falk) Strom.  He was one of six children: a twin brother, three older brothers, and a younger sister. Donald accepted Jesus as his Savior when he was age 13, during vacation bible school at Hillman Baptist Church, where his parents were founding members. He attended Bean Brook and Mora High School. That’s where he met Elaine Marie Clark. They were married on September 14, 1944.

In July of 1945, when Donald was 18 years old, he was drafted into the Army during World War II. His unit was preparing for the invasion of Japan when the war ended. He served in the transportation corps, running the PX (Post Exchange) on a ship that transported war brides back to the states from England, Germany, and France. He attained the rank of corporal.

Don and Elaine settled in Bloomington, MN. They purchased their first home on 98th and Portland Ave in Bloomington. They had 5 children. In 1950 he started driving school bus for Bloomington Schools and retired as the Central Warehouse manager in 1985. Donald continued to work as the maintenance man at the apartment complex where they were apartment managers. He retired a second time in 1999 and moved back to Mora where they had built a home on Knife Lake. Don loved living on the lake and loved taking his wife out for dinner on their pontoon boat named the Love Boat II. They especially liked to go to the part of the lake on Sunday evenings where they could see highway 65. They would put the anchor down and enjoy watching all the traffic heading home to the cities after a weekend at the lake knowing they were done traveling back and forth.

Donald is preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Ruth Strom; wife Elaine Strom; daughter Colleen Strom; daughter-in-law Cherry Strom; great granddaughter Teagan Berry; brothers, Robert, Roy, Allen, Dennis; sister Eunice; four sisters-in-law and a brother-in-law. 

Donald is survived by his children Barbara (Maurie) Clipperton, Douglas Strom, Cheryl (Ken) Carlson, Donnie Strom (Lonnie Shipley); grandchildren Andy Clipperton, Donelle (Brian) Hagland, Christy Strom, Kimberly Strom, Benjamin (Andrea) Strom, Shelly (Dan) Crooker, Stacey (Ryan) Berry, Jonathan (Jocelyn) Strom, Jolene (Ray) Law, Candra (Josh) Morrow, Jacob (Sarah) Carlson, Harley Johnson, and Paul Arrington; great grandchildren Isaiah, Isabelle, Michaela, Hannah, Zachariah, Samantha, Emma, Mason, Logan, Liam, Alexander, Cleo, Barrett, Eli, Abigail, Russel, Isaac, Micah, Elijah, Silas, Ryleigh, Titus, McCoy, Sutton, Knox, Brianna, William, Tyberius and Meredyth; two great, great grandchildren Isabella and Theodore Clipperton; many nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends.

Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 am on Tuesday, December 12, 2023 at the Hillman Baptist Church. 

Memorial Visitation will be held 1 hour prior to the service at the church. 

Military Honors will be provided by the Mora American Legion Post 201.  

Inurnment will be in the Oakwood Cemetery in Mora. 

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