Jasper Lonzo Strunk

Jasper Lonzo Strunk was born at home near Yellville, AR, on April 2, 1940. He was born to Ernest and Flo Strunk, number thirteen of fifteen children. He died of congestive heart failure. He is survived by his wife Lavonne, son Troy (Kristie), grandsons Everett (Aurora), and Tanner, daughter Susan and her three children, Savannah, Logan & Karis and two great-grandsons Sam and Axton. The remaining Strunk family includes Edith Douglas, Irene (Eldon) Settle, and Carolyn (Pee-Wee) Fernland, and many, many nieces and nephews – a big wonderful family.

The family came from Arkansas to Oregon when Jasper was three years old. He went to Henley School, then moved to Bonanza during his Junior year. He graduated in 1958.  He joined the U.S. Navy in 1961 and served for 20 years. He always joked that he spent 20 years in Vietnam. He was called Jasper, JL, Jay and Jake, and some unmentionable names also. He ran the river boats up the Mekong River in Vietnam to drop off Special forces soldiers and then pick them up. Not a fun job.

He first enlisted in the U.S. Navy on 27 Dec 61 at Portland, Oregon and trained and served on the following:

27 Mar 62 to 10 Aug 62  SSC, Naval Training Center, San Diego, CA

24 Sep 62 to 31 Jan 64  USS Paricutin (AE-18)

14 Feb 64 to 16 Dec 66  USS Pyro (AE-24)

09 Jan 67 to 15 May 70  SSC, Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, IL

10 Jul 70 to 23 Oct 72  USS White Plains (AFS-4)

02 Nov 72 to 09 Jun 73  USS Coral Sea (CV-43)

30 Jul 73 to 1 Jul 75  USS Wiltsie (DD716)

28 July 75 to 29 Sep 78  Naval Technical Training Center, Treasure Island, CA

09 Oct 78 to 23 Feb 79  SSC, Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, IL

05 Apr 79 to 22 Apr 81  USS Roanoke (AOR-7)

After leaving the Navy, he went to college for two years. He then worked as a military contractor for PWC (Navy Public Works), helping to close military bases in 1997. After retiring from PWC (promising only five years in California), he then went on to work for JA Jones Management Services (five more years in California). He then went on to work for E&E Industries at the Concord Weapons Station. He retired for good in April 2005. We moved back to Klamath Falls, OR – home at last. He was awarded and honored posthumously by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). He was an avid fisherman and hunter – he never did get that bull elk. He was a member of the VFW, DAV, American Legion, NRA, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, North American Hunting Club, his last hat was with the Moose Lodge 1106. Any donations to be made, please think of the Moose Lodge so they can continue with their charity work.

He was kind, gentle, feisty (when needed), good-hearted and generous to a fault. The best husband anyone could have and a profound blessing. He is now at peace, fair winds and following seas.

His celebration of life will be held at the Moose Lodge 1106, on September 26, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. A meal will be served after the short service.