John Albert "Jack" Stromwall

1928 - 2020

John Albert "Jack" Stromwall
Jack Stromwall died December 17, 2020, at the Classic in Altoona. He was born in St. Paul, Minnesota on October 22, 1928 to Ethel (Stone) Stromwall and Albert A. "Peewee" Stromwall. In 1945, he graduated from Johnson High School in St. Paul. He joined the Minnesota Air National Guard in 1948, served with the 133rd Fighter-Interceptor Wing and was a proud US Air Force veteran. He graduated from the University of Minnesota with a double major of political science and economics in 1950. Jack married Donna Engle on September 1, 1950 and began evening law school 5 days later at what is now the William Mitchell School of Law. When his squadron was activated, Jack was forced to drop out of law school. After his discharge as a Technical Sergeant in 1952, he began a new career as a casualty underwriter at Anchor Casualty in St. Paul. In 1956, he earned his CPCU designation and moved to Eau Claire, WI to take a position as an independent insurance agent. After four years he started his own agency, which became known as Stromwall, Joseph and Gustaveson. After his 1992 retirement Jack served as an expert witness in insurance court cases.
Jack was elected a director of Charter Bank in 1982, serving as Chairman for 6 years. He also served as president of the Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce in 1982, as agent representative on the Wis. Insurance Commissioner Property and Casualty Committee, and on the advisory boards of CNA Financial, Fireman's Fund American and Northwestern National Insurance Cos. He and Donna were among the original founders of the Eau Claire Community Foundation, where they established the Stromwall Family Fund to support local students in higher education. Over the years, Jack was involved in the Eau Claire Jaycees, YMCA, Babe Ruth League and Boy Scouts and taught a course in the UW-Eau Claire School of Business, and was a member of the First Presbyterian Church. Jack received many awards during his lifetime, among them the University of Minnesota Alumni Achievement Award in 1976, and the Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame in 2018.
Jack was predeceased by his wife Donna in 2015 and his son John A. II in 2013. He is survived by three children, Layne (Gerald Hess) of Scottsdale AZ, Richard (Jane) of Summit WI and Laurie LaNou (Mike) of Eau Claire. He is also survived by 7 grandchildren: Joe (Monica) of Weston CT, Andy (Katie) of Elm Grove WI, Michael Stromwall Hess (Brittany Hilgers) of Los Angeles, Nick (Katie) of Vadnais Heights MN, Amanda Stromwall Hess (Marc Tracy) of Brooklyn NY, Charlie of Denver CO, and Samantha LaNou (Matt Immerman) of New Hope MN; 7 great grandchildren and his brother-in-law Jack Engle of St. Paul.
The family thanks the staff at the Classic at Hillcrest Greens, where Jack lived since 2015, and the doctors and staff at Oakleaf Clinic for taking good care of Jack. A celebration of life will be held later, when we can all safely gather. Private family inurnment will take place in the Northern Wisconsin Veteran's Memorial Cemetery in Spooner. Memorials may be sent in Jack's name to the Eau Claire Community Foundation, 306 S Barstow, Suite 104, Eau Claire WI 54701 or at Eccfwi.org.
Friends and family may offer condolences online at www.hulkefamilyfh.com. Hulke Family Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Eau Claire is assisting the family with the arrangements.