Joel Brien Strack

1960 - 2019

Joel Brien Strack

Born: February 29, 1960

Died: July 15, 2019

Joel Brien Strack, age 59, made his final curtain call on July 15 in Altamonte Springs, Florida. He was born February 29, 1960, the fourth son of Mary Lu and Jeff Strack. In a family of blondes and brunettes, Joel's flaming red hair helped him recognize the benefits of standing out from the crowd, and beginning at an early age, he found ways to be "on stage".

As a 4H Club member and as a student Joel honed performance skills. He competed in public speaking and demonstration contests as a 4Her and participated in dramatics, orchestra, and Madrigals at Sycamore High.

With the Madrigals, Joel wrote and delivered the original "jester monologue" for the group and later became one of the Madrigal singers. He played cello in the orchestra and performed as "Oliver" in that high school stage production. He also acted in other high school shows and with the Stage Coach Players.

Demonstrating stir frying in a wok, Joel won a statewide "Cooking With Pork" contest sponsored by the Illinois Pork Producers Association and participated in many other 4H public speaking and "Share The Fun" events. He also recruited 4Hers for the initial tree planting at the Afton Forest Preserve. His efforts in 4H earned him a trip to the 4H Club Congress where he was awarded one of four national college scholarships for leadership sponsored by The Reader's Digest.

Most of the funds required for higher education for both Joel and his siblings were earned through Strack Gardens, a family business of growing and selling produce. The Strack tribe thereby managed to complete undergraduate studies without accumulating debt.

During the summer following his sophomore year of college at the University of Illinois, Joel travelled to California to work at Disneyland, and his future path, both career-wise and otherwise was established. After his junior year, he participated in the Walt Disney Company's inaugural student internship program at Disneyworld in Florida. Returning in the fall to the Urbana-Champaign campus, he completed enough course work to earn his undergraduate degree in three and a half years. After midyear graduation he headed back to Disneyworld.

Joel's first job at The Magic Kingdom was captaining a boat on The Jungle Cruise. Soon there were openings in the Character Department and Joel began a ten year stint performing as various "large" Disney characters. As he grew older, it was prudent to find less strenuous work and he guided backstage tours for a time, supervised the Christmas light display and was stage manager for "The Little Mermaid" show.

Joel's broad knowledge of the Disney mystique made him a natural for The Disney Institute. With that department, he travelled widely, both nationally and internationally presenting seminars to business groups on the "Disney Method". Before retirement, his final gig was recruiting potential buyers of Disney Timeshares.

While working at Disney world, Joel helped coordinate the first "Gay Day" at the resort. Management resisted strenuously at first, but became enthusiastic supporters of the concept when they witnessed the large numbers of people which the event attracted to the theme parks each year. He also organized Orlando's first Gay Pride parade.

A few years after moving to Florida, Joel attended the annual GALA get-together of Gay Choruses from across the United States. He decided that Orlando should have its own chorus. During the 25th anniversary concert of the Orlando Gay Chorus in 2015, Joel and one of his friends were recognized as the founders of the group. During the first twenty-eight years of its existence, Joel sang in each of the Orlando Gay Chorus' twice yearly concerts. He also participated in various chorus ensembles that entertained in the Orlando area.

As his health deteriorated this spring, Joel told his mother that the thing he missed the most was being on stage.

Though held a few months early by necessity, on June 23, 2019, an upbeat and light hearted quinceanera was held for Joel with family members, friends, and, fortunately, Joel himself in attendance. The celebrants thanked Joel for all the joy he had delivered and for the community services he had performed. He sang one last time with the chorus he helped bring into existence.

Joel Brien Strack was preceded in death by one brother, Larz.

He is survived by his parents, Jeff and Mary Lu, four brothers Jan (Gael), Franz (Beth), Ted (Rachel), and Jaiden Love, and by two sisters, Maria (Fabian) Pagan and Katrina (David) Kooi. Also surviving are fourteen nieces and nephews and five grand nieces and nephews.

No funeral services are planned, but in the not too distant future, family and friends will be invited to come together here in DeKalb to further celebrate Joel's life.