LeRoy T. Strand

A Celebration of Life for LeRoy T. Strand of Warroad, MN will be held on Thursday, April 29, 2021 at 11:00 AM at Zion Lutheran Church in Warroad, MN. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will take place at Riverside Cemetery in Warroad, MN. 

LeRoy passed away on Thursday, April 22, 2021 at the age of 80.

In Lieu of flowers the family would prefer memorials be made to Zion Lutheran Church in Warroad, MN.

Warroad Loses a Neighbor and passionate teacher.

LeRoy Strand, longtime Warroad, MN resident, middle school teacher, builder of houses, and motorcycles, died on Earth Day after 10 years of health challenges. LeRoy passed peacefully in the early morning of April 22, 2021 at the Warroad Senior Care Center as Joyce – his wife of 57 years- slept by his side. 

Mr. Strand taught 2 generations of Warroad students and beyond teaching he led Warroad TA’s, chaperoned school dances, videotaped Varsity Football games and was instrumental in bringing the Wolf Ridge experience to Warroad middle schoolers (https://wolf-ridge.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/almanac-may-2019-.pdf).  

LeRoy was born January 30, 1941, on the Strand family farm in Lawton, ND to Thomas and Evelyn Strand.  It was the end of the Depression, banks untrusted and doctors’ fees were $35 ($706.00 in today’s money).  In the middle of a snowstorm, Thomas bridled 2 horses to a sleigh to pick up the doctor 7 miles away. Sometime during this snowstorm Thomas stopped at a card party where he turned $3.50 into $31.50 – close enough to pay for the baby bill. 

After attending a one-room schoolhouse in Newbre, ND Township (grades 1-6) and graduating from Lawton, ND High School, in 1964 he received his teaching degree from Mayville, ND State University. In 1969, LeRoy moved his family to Oliva, MN where he taught fifth and sixth grade math until 1974. While in Olivia, he volunteered as an Ambulance driver, Fireman, and Olivia City Council.

He received his master’s degree in Intellectual Disabilities at Mankato State University and took Warroad’s open teaching position in 1982.  LeRoy said, “It was Lake of the Woods’ summer and winter fishing combined with the “mysterious” sport our family watched during the 1980 Winter Olympics that attracted him to the city; but it was the hard working and compassionate people of Hockeytown, USA that cemented LeRoy and Joyce into the City of Warroad.    

In 1983, LeRoy broke ground at 501 Roberts to build his family house surrounded by dense trees. After school LeRoy taught the family to mix drywall mud, tape the sheetrock seams, cover gypsum wall blemishes and completed the work in 1984.

What 2001 Middle Schoolers said about LeRoy:

“Hey, Mr. Strand. Do you remember when we went to Wolf Ridge last year and I was goofing around, and you made me sit next to you on the bus?  We had fun.  I remember this because you are the best teacher I ever had.”  Andy Hegstad, May 22, 2001, Grade 6.

“Mr. Strand you’re the best teacher I ever had.  You taught us awesome stuff like how to make airplanes, then circuits so we could see how telegraphs worked.  I couldn’t do ANY of that before this year!” Jeremy Han, May 21, 2001, Grade 5

After LeRoy’s retirement he became an American Red Cross Coordinator, active in the Zion Lutheran Church and built cabin sized playhouses with electricity, porches and lofts. 

He is survived by Joyce, his wife of 57 years; children: Tam Strand (Jerry Enright), Steve Strand (Sarah Hartley), Dr. Jo (Dave) Peterson; three grandchildren, Mae Peterson, Sam Strand and Jack Peterson; his sister, Carole Carlton of Montana, numerous loving nieces, nephews, and Kyllo Ren - his 16-month-old Schnauzer. 

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