James “Jim” Strandberg, 91, died peacefully on April 12, 2026, with his family by his side. He was born on February 4, 1935 to George and Alma Strandberg in Warren, Minnesota. After spending time in the Army from 1954-1956, he graduated from the University of North Dakota in 1959. It was there that he met his sweetheart, Camille Thiele, whom he went on to marry on August 20, 1960. Jim spent his entire professional career with the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, beginning as a territory sales manager in Fargo and ultimately serving as Manager of Public Relations and Corporate Communications at the company’s headquarters in Akron.

He is survived by his three children, Brian (Lisa) Strandberg, Brent (Susan) Strandberg and Beth (Kohmann) Strandberg, seven grandchildren (Hailey, Brayden, Jacob, Benjamin, Alexa, Maxwell, and Joseph), and his brother Paul. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Camille, brother Robert, and son-in-law Fritz.

Jim’s faith was central to who he was, and he spent countless hours at the church to lend a hand wherever it was needed. He loved being outdoors, cherished evenings on his deck with friends and family, and took immense pride in tending to his yard. He also loved music and was active in school choirs, as well as the church choir, all his life.

A lifelong “news junkie,” Jim read the Wall Street Journal cover to cover each day. He treasured the written word, often ending his evenings with poetry—especially Robert Frost—or a good book. His red pen was legendary in the family, appearing whenever a school essay needed “just a little improvement.” His humor was equally memorable, with quips like “If you can’t win fair, cheat!”—a line that always made his family laugh precisely because he lived the opposite: moral, respectful, and always a gentleman.

Among his keepsakes, the family found a favorite saying he often repeated: “Nobody promised you a rose garden.” Beneath it, he had written, “If good is going to happen in your life, you need to be the catalyst.” What a true embodiment of our dad! Jim lived a life grounded in faith, integrity, and devotion to the people he loved, and he will be deeply missed.

A celebration of Jim’s life will be held at the New Covenant Community Church (1587 W. Exchange St., Akron, 44313) on Friday, May 15th at 11am, with the family receiving friends immediately prior to the service at 10 am.

In lieu of flowers, the family would ask that any memorial contributions be made to the New Covenant Community Church.

Services in care of the Billow Funeral Homes and Crematory, 85 N. Miller Road Akron, OH 44333 (Billow FAIRLAWN Chapel)