Jack Strickler

Jack Strickler passed away at Healthcenter Northwest from cancer on June 4. He was born on May 10, 1955 in Clarkston, Wash., to Dee and Claire Church Strickler.

The family moved to Pullman, Wash., in 1961, where Jack went through all 12 grades, graduating from Pullman High School in 1973. That fall he moved across town to Washington State University, where he was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon. He graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering.

His first job was working for United Engineering on the Washington Water Power System nuclear reactor at Hanford, Wash. It later became known as “WooPS!” because it was never completed. There, however, he discovered an ability and interest in designing piping systems, which continued for the rest of his life in various locations around the world.

Although he redesigned oil well pipe layouts in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, and the refrigeration system piping for a refitted surimi manufacturing ship in Seattle, he specialized in designing ultrapure water and wastewater systems used in the manufacture of microchips.

He was working for Christ Wastewater AG of Switzerland in Singapore when he met his future wife, Diana, who was office manager in the same building. They were married on Dec. 4, 1993 in Whitefish with a Chinese wedding ceremony in January in Singapore.

Their first home was in Vancouver, Wash., after which they moved to Chandler, Ariz. They returned to Whitefish for the birth of their son, Glenn Weslee in 1996. Subsequent moves were to Shanghai, China, then to Basel, Switzerland, the headquarters of Christ AG, for five years. They returned to Montana in 2010.

Jack was an ardent fly fisherman who tied his own flies. He fished for grayling in the Beaufort Sea when he worked on the North Slope. In between design jobs he twice visited New Zealand to hunt and fish. On his first trip there he walked the length of several streams on the west side of the South Island, leaving fish with sore mouths behind him in every pool.

Hunting was also a passion. He hunted caribou in Alaska and also shot a Dahl sheep, flying into a remote area to camp and hunt. He hiked and hunted in the mountains of southeast Washington and Idaho for many autumns. Jack had expertise in cartridge reloading and rifle design as well and really appreciated fine guns.

Jack was preceded in death by his father in 2011. He is survived by his wife, Diana, and son, Glenn, at the family home; mother, Claire Strickler of Columbia Falls; a sister, Zoe, in Storrs, Conn.; a brother, Walt, in Boulder, Colo.; and a foster brother, Sanjay Narasimhalu, in Houston.

A private memorial service will be held at a later date. Memorial in lieu of flowers may be sent to Glacier National Park Conservancy P.O. Box 2749 Columbia Falls, MT 59912. Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home is caring for Jack’s family. You are invited to www.jgfuneralhome.com to view Jack’s tribute wall, offer condolences and share memories.