Richard Strand, 70

Published 9:43 am Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Richard Lee Strand, 70, of Mayville, North Dakota, passed away peacefully at Sanford Hospital on Monday, Dec. 1, 2014, surrounded by his family.

Strand

Richard was born on Dec. 1, 1944, to Elmer and Alice Strand, and grew up on their family farm just north of Portland, North Dakota.

Richard graduated in 1961 from Portland High School and went on to play football at Augsburg College in Minneapolis. Shortly after, he was drafted into the Army and spent time in El Paso, Texas. After finishing up in the Army, he returned home to Mayville to continue his education at Mayville State University where he received a degree in business education along with minors in both physical education and math.

After college he began his teaching career in Rose Creek, Minnesota, in 1970. After a few years the area schools consolidated to form Southland High School where he spent the remainder of his teaching and coaching career. From 1973 until his retirement in 2003, he was the head football coach for the Southland Rebels. In that time, he accumulated 194 wins. The highlight of his career was winning the state championship in 1983 in Class C, and he would continually reminisce about that team and the wonderful young men he coached that year and throughout the duration of his career. He remained a die-hard Southland Rebel until the time of his death. He was inducted into the Minnesota Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 2003 as well as into the Mayville State University Coaches Hall of Fame in 2012, both honors he treasured.

After his retirement, he moved back home to Mayville, North Dakota, to help take care of his parents. In his spare time he managed the Mayville Golf Course and spent a lot of quality time with his brother Arlie and his mother Alice. He would often travel to Barnesville, Minnesota, to watch his grandsons’ events, and he made it to almost every Barnesville football game where his son is the head coach.

He was a very proud father of Michelle Juntunen and Bryan Strand and a proud grandfather to numerous grandchildren, and he loved telling anyone who would listen about all of their accomplishments. He also loved offering his advice about life, parenting, and especially coaching.

Richard was preceded in death by his father Elmer.

He is survived by his mother Alice Strand of Mayville; brother Arlie (Peggy) Strand of Mayville; sister Adrienne (Larry) Buboltz of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota; daughter Michelle (Chuck) Juntunen of Duluth, Minnesota; son Bryan (Meg) Strand of Barnesville, Minnesota; along with grandchildren: Gabrielle McIntosh, Charlie and Maddie Juntenen, Taylor Crom-Strand, Robbie, Michael, Sydney and Jacob Strand; and nieces and nephews: Deanna Kyllo, Chad Strand, and Mitch, Mike and TJ Buboltz.

A visitation will be from 5 to 7:30 p.m., with a 7:30 p.m. public prayer service, on Friday, Dec. 5, 2014, at the Baker Funeral Home Chapel and will resume one hour prior to the service at the church. A funeral service will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014, at Aurdal Lutheran Church in Portland, North Dakota. Military Honors are with the May-Port Honor Guard and North Dakota Military Funeral Honors. A burial will be at Aurdal Cemetery, Portland, North Dakota. An online guestbook is available at www.bakerfuneral.com.