Eugene Strain, 82, Kasson

Eugene “Gene” Calvin Strain, 82, of Kasson, MN passed away peacefully on August 19, 2023 at home under the loving care of his wife and daughters with the help of Palliative Care Homebound and the CIM team at Mayo Clinic and Season’s Hospice both of Rochester, after a long illness.
Gene was born on April 1, 1941 in St. Charles, to Ernest and Leona (Mosher) Strain, the 7th of 13 children.  He is survived by siblings Duane, Rosemary, Thomas, Morris, and Mary Lynn.  On February 23, 1965 he married Barbara Ann Dahlke at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. Although Gene and Barb dreamed about homesteading in Alaska early in their marriage as Gene loved the North Country, they did not.  The couple lived in Rochester briefly and then bought a lifelong home in rural Kasson where they raised their two daughters Kim and Kelly. 
Gene became an expert painter and plaster and drywall professional and the proud owner of Tri State Drywall and then Strain’s Drywall. He could often be seen driving in a pair of painter bib overalls to a current work site in “Big Blue.” Gene completely retired from his career in 2016. He and Barb then bought a trailer in an RV Park in northern Wisconsin and enjoyed visiting it.
Gene was, among many things, a strong bodied, quick witted, funny, and intelligent man. As a young man, he loved to dance: He and his older sister Rosemary danced a mean polka! Throughout his life, he hunted and fished locally, nationally, and internationally (Canada and Mexico). He briefly guided moose hunts in Canada.  He butchered, smoked, and processed much of what he caught. He often smelled like wood smoke and Old Spice. He was a voracious reader of nonfiction, especially anything WWII.  He was a proud and full-of-personality member of the Strain clan, infamous in Fillmore County, MN. Author Neil Haugerud (Fillmore County Sheriff in the 50s and 60s) could have in fact been referencing them in Jailhouse Stories: Memories of a Small-Town Sheriff when he talked about “colorful people on both sides of the law". He loved his wife.  He supported the dreams of his daughters, often entertaining them with eyebrow raising songs with tunes and lyrics he made up on the spot, fake spottings of the cedar waxwing, and an enviable ability to whistle. He also made sure, that in addition to becoming educated, his daughters could shoot a gun and catch, scale, and filet a fish from a very young age. He faithfully cherished his grandchildren Jacob, Calvin, and Emily. He generously helped his neighbors. Gene was not perfect, but he had a big heart.  Gene was both memorable and worth knowing.
We invite all those who knew Gene to join us, Barb, Kim, and Kelly, as we remember and celebrate the life of our husband and father on Sunday April 28, 2024. Gravesite Service 2 pm at Evergreen Cemetery, Mantorville and Celebration of Life immediately after from 3:00-5:00 pm at the Mantorville Senior Center, 601 Clay St. Please bring your favorite memories and stories. We know there are many.