Myron 'Mike' Keith Strand

Myron “Mike” Keith Strand passed away April 11, 2022.

He was born in 1930 in Plentywood, Montana, to Claus and Vera Strand. He was raised on a farm in Reserve with younger brother Marvin. As a child, when he and his family traveled through western Montana, he always dreamed of leaving the flatlands of Eastern Montana and moving to the Montana mountains. Following graduation from Medicine Lake High School in 1948, he enrolled in Montana State College to study agriculture economics. He joined Advanced ROTC, was a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, was the senior class president and graduated top 10 in his class. He met and married his sweetheart, Marilyn, and soon after graduation was commissioned into the United States Army.

Following his commission as second lieutenant, he earned his wings and was deployed to Korea where he flew patrols over the DMZ until the end of the war. During his 12 years of active duty with the Army, the Strand family lived in Texas, Alabama, Alaska and Kansas. When he retired from active duty as an Army major, he recalled his childhood dream and chose Kalispell as his destination. In 1964 Mike and Marilyn started Strand Aviation at the Kalispell City Airport.

Strand Aviation was a full-service flight operation offering services for airplanes, helicopters, sea planes and gliders. Mike would fly groups into the Montana backcountry, air ambulance and scenic tours over Glacier National Park. He flew his helicopters for government snow surveys, and even gave “nickel-a-pound” helicopter rides at the Flathead County Fair one summer. He also flew many search and rescue flights, and Forest Service contracts including fire patrol and wolf and grizzly bear research projects for the University of Montana. He helped many pilots achieve their aviation dreams in his 35 years at Strand Aviation. Mike logged over 20,000 flight hours before he and Marilyn decided to retire and travel the world.

Traveling with friends and family, they had many great adventures to New Zealand, China, Norway, the Caribbean, Hawaii, Germany and Japan. In addition to his 14 years of service with the Montana National Guard, he was active in the Kalispell community as an elder at the First Presbyterian Church. He was also a lifelong Rotary member and Rotary president from 1986 to 1987, Elks club member, Montana Pilots Association, and joined the local hiking group called the Over The Hill Gang. He developed lifelong friendships during his many years in the Flathead Valley.

Myron is survived by his five children, Daya (John) Horine, Deanna (Don) Dyk, Dwayne (Carol) Strand, Danette (Ty) Adams, and Darryl (Christy) Strand; 12 grandchildren, Justin, Mariah, Chad, Ashley, Aaron, Liesl, Erin, Bridger, Colter, Mason, Spencer and Peyton; and five great grandchildren, Zane, Huxley, Rome, Deklin and Ellie.

Myron was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Marilyn, his brother Marvin, and his parents.

A celebration of life and reception will be held Saturday, June 4, at 2 p.m. at the Elks Club in Kalispell.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Encompass Hospice of Kalispell or to the Alert Helicopter Foundation.