Oct. 14, 1943 – Sept. 23, 2025
Jeffrey Harold Strickler, 81, passed away on Sept. 23, 2025. He was born on Oct. 14, 1943, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and grew up on the shore of Lake Minnetonka. He attended Carleton College, where he met his wife, Karen Stewart. They married in 1966 and were happily married for 59 years.
Jeff attended medical school at the University of Minnesota and completed his residency in pediatrics at Stanford, where he became Chief Resident. He then served as a Major in the United States Air Force at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska.
Following his military service, Jeff and Karen settled in Helena, Montana. Known to everyone as “Dr Jeff,” he was a founder of the Helena Pediatric Clinic. He spent 30 years taking care of the children of Montana and advocating for children’s health care.
Jeff loved the mountains and the outdoors. He and his family spent their summers hiking, camping and canoeing, and their winters skiing at Big Sky, where Jeff and Karen retired in in 2005. He was an expert skier who loved to get together with buddies and tackle the “steep and deep.” He aimed to spend 100 days skiing and descend a million vertical feet each year. He delighted in continuing to race slalom throughout his 70s and won his age group competition several years running. He also cross-country skied with the Big Sky Snow Striders, and in the summer was an active member of the Big Sky Hikers. Jeff was an expert on wildflowers and led popular wildflower identification hikes each summer. He was an avid golfer who loved playing the Reserve at Moonlight Basin.
Jeff was very active in Rotary International, first in Helena, then becoming one of the founders of the Big Sky Rotary Club. He served as the Rotary District Governor for Montana in 2006-07.
Jeff’s curiosity about the origins of local place names turned into several published books about the nomenclature of Western Montana, including: “Big Sky Names,” “The Skier’s Guide to Big Sky and Lone Mountain Ranch,” “Names in Bozeman’s Backyard,” and “Meanings in the Mountains.”
In 2022, Jeff and Karen relocated to St George, Utah, where they embraced their new desert lifestyle. He particularly enjoyed Snow Canyon State Park and taking walks around the many trails throughout the city.
Jeff is survived by his wife Karen; children Hans Strickler of Monument, Colorado and Liesl Elder (Ed Nash) of Oxford, England; grandchildren Tyler and Jenna Kelsey and Brooks and Ashton Elder; and brother John Strickler (Sue).
Family and friends are invited to share condolences online at www.SerenityStG.com. Arrangements and memorial tree planting are under the direction of Serenity Funeral Home of Southern Utah, St George, (435) 986-9100.
