Obituary of John S. "Sky" Strahl

Strahl, John Schuyler "Sky" Midland, Michigan John "Sky" Schuyler Strahl, 80, of Midland, Michigan, a devoted husband, loving father and grandfather, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 17, 2016, at Toni and Trish House in Auburn after a brief struggle with cancer. He was born in Escanaba, Mich., on Sept. 17, 1935 and raised in Sault Ste. Marie. His parents, Maurice Schuyler Strahl and Ruth Esther Strahl, preceded him in death. He and Susan (Gerard) Strahl were married on October 1, 1976. John served in the National Guard and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Western Michigan University. Highlights of his career include working on the Mackinac Bridge construction, being a contract administrator in power plant construction for Consumers Energy, and working security at the Midland Center for the Arts, where he enjoyed the opportunity of getting to meet new people. He was an avid hunter and fisherman, active in the arts, loved cooking, enjoyed time with his grandchildren and enthusiastically participated in the sport of agility with his wife, Susan, and their dogs. He was also a diehard Green Bay Packers fan. John was happy in the simplicity of his life and loved being deeply rooted in the community. He was easy to like and will be greatly missed. He is survived by his wife and partner of 40 years, Susan; daughter, Jenn (Richard) Craven of Hartland, Wis.; grandchildren, Holly, Adam and Abigail; brother, Maury Strahl of Palisade, Colo.; sister, Mary Ruth Allen of Alpharetta, Ga.; and many cousins, nieces and nephews. John will also be greatly missed by his canine companions Darby "Champ" and Laila "Little One". A celebration of his life will be held at the Midland Center for the Arts Aden B. Dow Museum on Monday, April 4, at 3 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Toni and Trish House in Auburn, where John was given exceptional care during his final days. To sign online guestbook, visit www.cremationsocietymidmi.com Sympathy store items must be sent directly to the family home.