Kenneth Andrew Strand

Kenneth A. Strand passed away peacefully, entered into the gates of heaven to see his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on January 15, 2024 in Plantation, Florida. Ken was born on August 12, 1927 in Chicago, IL. He was a son, husband, father, grandfather, follower of Christ, veteran, and business owner. He will be dearly missed. Ken is survived by his wife of 57 years, Carol Lynn Pavlacic Strand, his children Terry Sue Strand, Randy Strand (Maria), Kenny Strand II (Maria) and Barry Strand (Julie). Grandchildren: Lindsey Strand-Polyak (Jonathan), Kelsey Strand-Polyak, Adam Strand-Polyak (Polina), Kenneth A. Strand III and Graciela C. Strand. He was predeceased by his beloved first born son Gary Paul Strand and daughter-in-law Eileen Galvin.

As a son of the great depression, he began working at the age of 8. Growing up in Chicago, he started delivering newspapers in his neighborhood after school until he was 16 years old. At 14 years old, he also worked as a soda “jerk” in the local drug store and delivered jukeboxes on the weekends for parties. These jobs gave him his work ethic which carried throughout his life. As part of the greatest generation, Ken enlisted in the Army Corps Reserve as a Senior in high school in 1944. Because of WWII ending in 1945 and the need for Air Corps recruits decreased, they offered him to be discharged or switch to another branch of the Army. Instead, he re-enlisted in the U.S. Navy Reserves. He was pulled from bootcamp two weeks early because he could type and transferred to the Bureau of Supplies and Accounts in Cleveland, Ohio on July 23, 1945 where he helped make distributions to the dependents of the U.S. Navy branches. After a year in Cleveland, he served honorably on the Battleship USS Missouri the remainder of his time in the Navy. While on the ship, on September 1947, Ken met President Truman and took his picture as the President and family hitched a ride back to the U.S. after signing the Rio Treaty in Brazil. (This ship is famous because the Japanese surrender signaling the end of WWII took place on the deck of USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2nd, 1945 and it is now permanently based as a memorial at Pearl Harbor.)

Ken came out of the service eager to begin his life as a young man. He registered for the University of Illinois in Chicago and also worked part-time for an insurance company. Then, he started working at a newspaper agency where he learned the business. Ken asked the owner of his home delivery territory when she was ready to sell it, please let him know. Shortly after, he purchased the territory and started his own news agency paper delivery service called the West Lawn News Agency. He employed boys and girls from the neighborhood starting their own bicycle paper route just as he had done when he was young. Ken and second wife, Carol, moved the family to Florida in 1971, settling in Fort Lauderdale for over 35 years. He was committed to his family and his church. He was active in local politics, served local government and was appointed to the City of Ft. Lauderdale Budget Committee. He started a real estate business where he was named realtor of the year by the Broward County Board of Realtors in 2000 and served as the President of the Board of Realtors.

Ken and Carol left east Fort Lauderdale to retire 7 miles west to Plantation to be a Papa and Nana to their youngest grandchildren, Kenneth III and Graciela. He was an everyday present grandfather, chauffeur, and storyteller to them imparting his wisdom and knowledge to the next generation.

Ken was an avid tennis player throughout his life in Florida playing for most of his time at Holiday Park (home of Chris Evert) in Ft. Lauderdale. Once he moved to Plantation, he played doubles at Central Park well into his 90s. He enjoyed watching Chicago Cubs baseball and getting into spirited political conversations.

As the patriarch of the family, he lived his life taking care of his wife and helping his children and grandchildren. His life well lived will be cherished by his family and the stories he often told of his childhood in Chicago with his parents and his second family growing up, the Stonichs. These stories included him going to double headers as a boy to see his lifelong, favorite team the Chicago Cubs, growing up in the Great Depression, contributing to the war effort, serving during WWII, his businesses, the love of Bing Crosby movies/music and traveling the world with his most special memories going to the Hawaiian andTahitian Islands.

In leau of flowers, donations may be made to: Word of Life Bible Institute Summer Camp Scholarship Fund 4230 Glendale Road, Pottersville, NY 12870 or https://give.wol.org/give

A military service will be held at Forest Lawn Memorial on Saturday, February 10th, 2024