Dave Strong, 73, of Frasier, passed away in his home on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025.
Dave Strong was born Dec. 21, 1951, in Lewiston to Raymond and Hilda Strong.
Dave (Dad, Grandpa Fishin’, Uncle Dave) was one of a kind, and if you were lucky enough to know him, you know what I’m talking about.
Dave graduated from Lewiston High School in 1970. During his youth, he enjoyed hunting and fishing with his dad and friends. He worked at a gas station and raced stock cars at the track in North Lewiston. Young David famously received multiple tickets in one day for illegally driving his stock car on the street.
Dave became a family man at 19 with the birth of his first daughter in 1971 (Kimmy). Cheri was born just a year later, in 1972. He loved his family and worked hard to provide a good life for us. Dave began his career at Potlatch in 1970. He worked his way up to journeyman pipefitter and held the position of maintenance safety coordinator when he retired in 2004. Dave met the love of his life in 1980, and on July 18, 1981, he married Wanda Gangewer. Married life isn’t easy for anyone, but Dave and Wanda truly loved each other, and they made it work for almost 44 years.
Now for the fun stuff. Dave had many interests and a passion for being the best at whatever he was doing. In the 1970s, Dave became an avid foosball player, winning a national tournament in St. Louis and starting a business devoted to bringing foosball to the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley. He still worked full-time at Potlatch and ran Foos and Fun in the Lewiston Orchards. The business venture didn’t work out, but he had a good time with it while it lasted.
His next great endeavor was building his own Harley Davidson chopper. Dave and Wanda rode all over the West Coast on his custom-built Harley. When the Harley phase was over, Dave became an avid fisherman. He always enjoyed fishing, but now I’m talking about some serious fishing. Dave had a beautiful bass boat with all the latest equipment. He fished for steelhead, but his true passion was bass fishing. In 1994, he caught the largest bass in Idaho and attended the BBWC tournament in Florida. He quickly learned that fishing in a professional tournament in Florida could never compare to the lakes and rivers of Idaho. Dave’s four grandchildren called him Grandpa Fishin’ and were lucky enough to have at least a few fishing adventures with him.
Over the years, Dave enjoyed playing softball, tennis and golf. He enjoyed watching NASCAR, the Seahawks and the Mariners. In his later years, he would record all the sporting events so he wouldn’t miss anything. He didn’t need to watch it when it happened; if he had family or friends around, he wanted to give them attention and watch his sports later. Dave and Wanda always had at least one dog, usually more than one. A dog lucky enough to be a Strong lived their best life every day. After Dave retired in 2004, he and Wanda moved to Frasier to be closer to Wanda’s dad. They built a home there, and Dave became a farm boy. He enjoyed sitting on his front porch and simply looking at the beautiful expanse of the open fields. He kept binoculars handy as there were often elk, deer and turkeys to watch. He enjoyed the simple beauty of nature and made sure to keep his hummingbirds well-fed.
One of Dave’s bucket list items was to rebuild a 1955 Chevy. He purchased a car that needed a lot of work in 2010. Finally, in 2024, the car was finished to perfection. He and Wanda could drive it and cruise around for a year before he died. He loved to drive the ‘55 and wanted to get it fast enough to kick in the four-barrel. The look on his face when he was sharing the masterpiece with loved ones was priceless. It was the look of sheer pride and joy.
Dave was diagnosed with cancer in the fall of 2023. He kept a positive attitude throughout his entire treatment. He made sure he made the most of the good days by getting out with Wanda and the dogs, exercising with weights, cruising in his ‘55, and just embracing life. Family was always important to Dave, and he embraced family time on an even higher level. He says, “These are the things that make you understand what matters in life.” Even when he was ill with cancer, he couldn’t sit still. He was a go-getter until his last days.
Dave and Wanda had so much fun with family and friends. There were camping trips, vacations, fishing trips, holidays and parties. Losing our husband, dad, friend, grandpa, brother and uncle will leave a hole in our hearts forever; as I said, Dave was one of a kind, and his absence is a devastating loss for those who love him. Dave was preceded in death by his parents, Ray and Hilda Strong, and his in-laws, Bob and Jane Gangewer. Dave is survived by his devoted wife, Wanda, his daughter Kim Donohue (Pat), daughter Cheri Strong (Seth), sister Jane Folk (John), sister Linda Higby (Albert), grandson Ryan Strong (Michelle), granddaughter RayLynn Meyer (Austin), granddaughter Courtney Wolhaupter, grandson Josh Chapman, two great-grandchildren Trey and Casen, nieces Daidre, Sharna, Sara and his beloved dogs Rufus and Ava. Many more nieces, nephews, in-laws, and friends also survive him. Dave and Wanda’s friend Ron went above and beyond the definition of friendship over the past sixteen months. He was there to care for the dogs and help on the farm every time they were gone for medical appointments.
If you’d like to donate in Dave’s name, the family suggests Clearwater Humane Society, Helping Hands Rescue or the Idaho Foodbank. Please join us in celebrating Dave’s life at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 26, at Dave and Wanda’s place. Bring a lawn chair, a snack to share and whatever your beverage of choice is, and please bring lots of great memories and stories to share.
