Wilbur Strate was born on January 29, 1889, in West Newton Township, Nicollet County, Minnesota, the son of Frederick and Fredricka (Lammers) Strate. He was baptized and confirmed there. On June 13, 1916, he was united in marriage to Lydia Albrect at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church at New Ulm by the Rev. C. Albrecht. This union was blessed with four daughters: Sally, Kathleen, Dorothy and Shirley. Mr. Strate was engaged in banking most of his married life. He started as bookkeeper at the Brown County Bank in New Ulm in 1914. Three years later he was named Cashier and Director of the Searles State Bank for 13 years. He resigned and moved to Clarkfield in 1935. He served the Farmers and Merchants State Bank of Clarkfield as Cashier, Vice President and on the Board of Directors for 22 years, retiring in March, 1957. He had also served on the Clarkfield City Council for many years. Mr. Strate passed away at the Clarkfield Hospital on July 15, 1975, at the age of 86 years. He is survived by his wife Lydia; his daughters: Sally (Mrs. Zeke Lund) of Anaheim, California, Kathleen (Mrs. George Lund) of Salinas, California, Dorothy (Mrs. William McCready) of Laguna Beach, California, and Shirley (Mrs. Lester Hallen) of Portland, Oregon; ten grandchildren; two great grandchildren; one brother, William of New Ulm. He was preced in death by his parents, four brothers and four sisters, all of whom lived in the New Ulm area, except one brother who lived in Canada. IN MEMORY OF W. J. STRATE Born January 29, 1889 ~ Passed away July 15, 1975 Funeral Services Thursday, July 17, 1975, 11:00 a.m. Clarkfield United Methodist Church Clarkfield, Minnesota Officiating Rev. James Thomson Rev. Harris Halstead Organist, Mrs. Harold W. Forsberg Soloist, Mr. Greg Swanson "My God and I" "Beyond the Sunset" Honorary Casket Bearers Leonard Falkum ~ Boyd Long George Gehant ~ Orph McCoy Waldemar Hauge ~ James Stroup Casket Bearers Dallas Arhart ~ Frederick Juni Lester Arhart ~ Willis Strate David Juni ~ Woodrow Strate Final Resting Place New Ulm City Cemetery New Ulm, Minnesota Arrangements by Lynner Funeral Home Since