Dear Classes of 1966, 1967, 1972, 1974, & 1976:

This is a Deacon Alert to inform you of the passing of Bradley Stromme ('72) on Wednesday, Oct. 8th.

Brad was a member of the Class of 1972, and the brother of Mary Stromme ('66), Sandy (Stromme) Ulmer ('67), Tom Stromme, Jeff Stromme ('74), Joyce (Stromme) Gelderman ('76), and the late David Stromme.

Obituary:

Bradley James "The Dude" Stromme, 71, of Northwood, ND, passed away Wednesday, October 8, 2025, at Hatton Prairie Village in Hatton, ND. Memorial Mass will be held Thursday, October 16, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady of the Peace Catholic Church in Mayville, ND. A visitation will be held Wednesday, October 15, 2025, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. with a 7:00 p.m. prayer service at the Bilden-Askew Funeral Home in Northwood. Instead of flowers the family invites you to honor Brad by sharing a story, visiting or playing music for a resident at your area care center, planting a bee garden or spending time with people who bring you joy.

Raised in Fargo, ND, he was the fifth of seven children born to Einar and Jeanette (Richard) Stromme on February 4, 1954.
Brad graduated from Shanley High School and attended St. Mary’s College in Winona, MN. In 1973 he met the love of his life, Elizabeth Abbate, they married in Bracket, Wisc., in 1976. They raised two sons, Zachary and Nicholai in Kloten, ND., where Brad built their home and started his family business, Kloten Apiaries.
The Dude will be remembered for his sharp mind and wit, his commitment to living simply, his lifelong passion for beekeeping, his deep love for family, friends and the broadviews of the Sheyenne River Valley. He was an avid reader and letter writer, played guitar and harmonica, spent hours kayaking, metal detecting, playing hockey and his Trivia and Scrabble skills were legendary to all who knew him. He especially loved spending time with his granddaughters who brought him much joy in his later years. He was a fiercely independent, self reliant introspective and contemplative human being who envisioned a life for himself and deliberately set out to create it from his own hands.

To better understand the kind of person Brad was you would need to know that his philosophy on life lies somewhere between Thomas Merton and Edward Abbey. That his eclectic taste in music ranges from Frank Zappa to Sandy Denny and beyond. His favorites include Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, John Prine and Leonard Cohen.

The hymn of bees is a balm
Every flight is a promise
Each bloom a tiny cathedral
Pollen is their scripture
And they teach the earth devotion

By day a choir of honeyed light
And when dusk folds its amber hands
Their golden music lingers on the fog
A psalm of sweetness
A song that is hummed by all

He was preceded in death by his son, Zach; his parents; one brother, David; and nephew, Joshua. He is survived by his wife of forty-nine years; son Nick (Lisa Neshem) Stromme; Granddaughters, Nola, Kate and Zena. Siblings, Mary Stromme, Fargo, ND; Sandy (Tom) Ulmer, Fargo, ND; Tom (Kari) Stromme, Bismarck, ND; Jeff (Ginny) Stromme, Kansas City, KS; Joyce (Tedd) Gelderman, Ward, S.D. Many nieces and nephews along with numerous cherished lifelong friends.

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