Richard J. Striunc
Richard (Rich) J. Strunc, 68, passed away on May 28, 2013, at his Sanibel, Fla., home after a courageous battle with cancer. Rich was born on August 22, 1944. in Chicago, Ill.
An accomplished fisherman and outdoorsman, Rich enjoyed spending time on Sanibel Island and at his lake home on Ten Mile Lake in Hackensack, Minn. Rich was a successful businessman and maintained an active interest in politics and current events.
Rich is survived by his wife Bonnee Strunc of Sanibel, daughters Lisa (Brian) Peiser of Deerfield, Ill., Kathleen Premo of Clearwater, Fla., and Jennifer (Aaron) Lambrecht of Nicollet, Minn., and his brothers Alan, Paul, and Bruce Strunc. Rich is also survived by his grandchildren Sophia, Alexander, Vivienne, and Ava Peiser, Nathaniel and Sada Premo, Mia and Braedon Lambrecht, and Hannah and Nate Woodward.
Rich was preceded in death by his first wife of 33 years Judith Ann Strunc, and his parents Angeline and John Strunc.
Rich graduated from Northern Illinois University and then began his business career with ServiceMaster Corporation, and subsequently owned and operated three McDonalds stores in Southeastern Minnesota.
Rich retired in 1997 to take care of his late wife Judy. He enjoyed fishing at his winter home in Florida and summer home in Minnesota. Rich met Bonnee Woodward while on Sanibel Island and they were married at the Chapel by the Sea on Captiva Island in 2005. Rich and Bonnee shared a love of fishing, boating, biking and tennis along with an active social life with their many friends.
Rich was widely admired as a devoted family man, businessman, sportsman and friend. He was very involved in his local communities including the Owatonna, Minn., Rotary, Owatonna Chamber of Commerce and the Owatonna Foundation.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Hope Hospice of Fort Myers, Fla., or to the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla.
A memorial service will be held in the fall at the Chapel by the Sea on Captiva Island. For those that knew and loved Rich, this prayer characterizes him well:
A Fisherman’s Prayer
I pray that I may live to fish…
Until my dying day.
And when it comes to my last cast,
I then most humbly pray:
When in the Lord’s great landing net
And peacefully asleep
That in His mercy I be judged
Big enough to keep.