Victor Michael “Mike” Strickler was born June 24th, 1948, to Ivan and Erma (Benham) Strickler in Glenwood, Minnesota. He graduated from Glenwood High School in 1967 and then from Alexandria Technical College. He lived and worked in the Twin Cities and in St. Cloud and eventually settled in St. Joseph where he was active in the Jaycees, receiving the Statesman and Ambassador awards. He married Arlene Primus and together they had two children, Alana and Derrik. Later, he moved back to the Glenwood area and lived the rest of his life just a few miles from where he grew up.
Mike was a workaholic, and it took three tries for retirement to stick. Even when he wasn’t working, he could usually be found fixing or fabricating something around the house, at the farm, or at the lake. When he put down his tools, he would usually pick up a book or cooking utensils. He was a firearm safety instructor, firearm enthusiast, and avid outdoorsman keenly in tune with nature. A lifelong entertainer on and off the stage, Mike was a talented musician, emcee, and storyteller.
A true “jack of all trades,” Mike’s career was as diverse as his hobbies. His resume included machinist, tow truck driver/mechanic, musician, heavy equipment operator, maintenance technician, long and short-haul trucker, farm equipment mechanic, carpenter, and rancher. He was particularly proud of achieving the status of Master Millwright early in his career, through which he learned skills that he found advantageous in every job he did. His favorite title though, was Grandpa.
Mike met Anita Dalton through a mutual friend, and they started dating. In 1999, he fell from a roof he was repairing, shattering his ankle. She packed a bag to stay over for a couple of weeks and help around the house. Luckily for him, she never left and the two were married on June 7th, 2002.
Mike died on December 3rd after a lengthy battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife Anita, brother Dan (Margaret), sister-in-law Gail, Daughter Alana (Paragon), son Derrik (Taryn), grandchildren Lily, Eliza, Seger, and Micah, stepson Mike (Sharon), and numerous extended family and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents Ivan and Erma, brother Randy, and sister-in-law Janet.
A spring 2023 memorial will be held at the family farm with a date to be announced.