Born on February 25, 1957 in New Westminster, BC, Chuck grew up in a logging family. They moved around rural BC in his early years, eventually settling in the community of Ryder Lake in Chilliwack when he was 10 years old, where Chuck met the love of his life, Debby Bateman. They were married in 1975, and their relationship was a beautiful example of love, honour, commitment and companionship for nearly 50 years. Chuck loved Deb with all his heart, and he made sure that his kids and everyone he met in his life knew it and saw it. They perfectly complemented each other and were hopelessly devoted to one another.
Chuck’s deep and abiding Christian faith was at the heart of who he was. Chuck and Deb were members of the Chilliwack Alliance Church, where they grew in their faith together and served in many different leadership roles. Chuck lived out his values in every aspect of his life, and was known for his honour, integrity and faithfulness to all those who knew him.
In 1993, Chuck changed careers, running for public office and becoming a legislator after many years in the family logging business. He was elected as a federal Member of Parliament in six consecutive elections, serving the people of Chilliwack and the surrounding area for 18 years. He was a gifted communicator and leader. He served in a variety of prominent positions and was appointed to Cabinet in 2006, where he served in the roles of Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs and Minister of Transport until his retirement from politics in 2011. While he was a very successful politician with many accomplishments during his time in office, he didn’t let his job define who he was. He never lost sight of what was truly important: his faith, his family and his friends.
Chuck was predeceased by his father, Omer William (Bill) Strahl. He is survived by his loving wife Debra, of 49 years; his mom, Martha Schroeder; his brothers Gary (Jean) Strahl, Stan (Colleen) Strahl; his sister Carole Massie; his children, Karina (Josh) Loewen, Mark (Lisa) Strahl, Loni (Jamie) Amos, and Kyla (Tyler) Ewert, and his grandchildren Morgan, Brennan, Nathan, Maclean, Tyson, Jackson, Wyatt, Keaton, Bennett, Atticus, Sullivan, Jude and Pepper. He is also mourned by his in-laws Keith and Carol Bateman, his brothers and sisters in law, numerous nieces and nephews and many other family and friends.
A celebration of life for Chuck will be held on Friday, August 23, 2024 at 1:30pm at Chilliwack Alliance Church, 8700 Young Road.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Chilliwack Alliance Church Legacy Fund or the BC Cancer Foundation.
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