Arthur D. Strom (91) of Effingham

Arthur D. Strom, 91, of Effingham, IL, passed peacefully to the Lord to join his mother, father, brother, and sister on Thursday, January 24, 2019 at Willowbrook in Effingham. 

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, February 1 at the First Presbyterian Church in Effingham. Burial will be in Oak Ridge Cemetery in Effingham with military rites. Visitation will be held for family and friends from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thursday at Johnson Funeral Home in Effingham.

Memorials may be made to Meals on Wheels or the First Presbyterian Church. Online condolences may be shared by clicking here.

Arthur was born on August 14, 1927, in East Lynn, IL, the son of Glenn and Ethel (Clements) Strom. He graduated with honors from East Lynn High School in 1945. He enlisted in the Navy for one year and was discharged when World War II came to an end. Art enrolled at the University of Illinois, Champaign, for the next four years, graduating with honors in 1950. While at the U of I he met Lois Nordstrom from Moline and they were married on August 20, 1950 in Moline, IL. Art received an honorary fellowship for graduate work and teaching at the University of Maryland.

The following years he worked at Deere & Co. in Moline. He furthered his business work at Amana Refrigeration in Amana, IA. Several years passed and he decided, by way of a friend, to gain similar purchasing work at Westinghouse in Columbus, OH. Art and Lois enjoyed the area but found an opportunity to work at Peerless of America in Chicago too much to pass. His opportunity then grew when he was promoted to plant manager of Peerless in Effingham in 1985. He retired in 1998.

Art and Lois enjoyed their traveling to all 50 states and 65 different countries of the world. Art had been a Sunday school teacher at several churches over the years. He was also a member of Rotary in Effingham. He and Lois delivered Meals on Wheels and were greeters at the Cross. Athletics were a favorite of Art, playing baseball, softball, and basketball up to the age of 50. Art also ran races till he was 60. Art enjoyed golf too having a hole-in-one.

Art leaves his wife of 68 years, Lois Strom of Effingham; daughter; Linda (Peter) Cirzan of South Elgin; sons, Steven Strom of Effingham and Mark Strom of Billings, MT; grandson, Adam Strom of Palatine; and granddaughters, Sarah Strom of San Francisco, CA and Molly Strom of Chicago.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a child in infancy; one brother, and one sister.