Adrienne C. Strasser

Adrienne Constance Strasser - 80
Parker, Colorado
Adrienne C. Strasser passed away on October 9, 2025 after a long courageous fight against cancer. She died peacefully at home with family by her side, holding her hand. Adrienne was born on January 29, 1945 at Evangelical Hospital in Chicago and was the fourth of five children to George P. and Frances Y. (Strazdovski) Giedraitis. She eloped with the love of her life, James L. Strasser, marrying on November 28, 1974 in Las Vegas, Nevada. A few months later, she and Jim married again, this time with family and friends in attendance on February 16, 1974 at St. Liborius Catholic Church in Steger, Illinois. Adrienne always loved telling the story of her two marriages!
Adrienne grew up in Chicago's Garfield Park neighborhood, but many of her fondest childhood memories were when the family spent five years on an 80 acre farm in Norske, Wisconsin. Her mom (mostly), her two brothers and her sister managed the farm, working in the fields and tending to the animals. She loved those "farm Stories" and whenever the family gathered she was sure to pull out a few good events to reminisce over. Norske was a small, very rural community where she and her siblings attended a one-room school house. The class photo consisted of all of the students, (maybe 20 students) standing in front of the school house...and oh yes, her family dog, Jigz was also in the photo. She did love that photo and those five years. Once back in Chicago, she attended Gage Park Public Schools, graduating from Gage Park High School in 1963. She graduated from the Goldberg School of Nursing of The Mount Sinai Hospital Medical Center, Chicago in 1969 becoming a Registered Professional Nurse. Adrienne had a 35-plus year career as a Psychiatric Nurse.
Adrienne and Jim moved to Colorado in 1974 and soon married. They recently celebrated (a bit early) their 51st wedding anniversary. She loved her family, her brothers and sister, her nieces and nephews and her brothers and sisters in law. Most of all though, she loved her own family; daughter Melissa (Mya), grandson Juniper and son, Derek. Adrienne also loved her animals. She got her first horse when she was just 14 and then spent the rest of her life training, riding, racing and enjoying her large pets. She entered many gymkhana events. Her favorite was Barrel Racing. She loved going fast and she was pretty good at it! Like her mother, she loved her cats...and dogs and rabbits and birds and even the local squirrels. She cared for them all.
Her cancer deserves a brief mention here, if only because of her courage and strength in taking this fight. Adrienne was the strongest and toughest person I know!! Cancer is hard and hers was particularly hard, with surgeries, blood transfusions and chemotherapy among many other issues that needed to be dealt with. She faced them all down and carried on with her life as best she could and she had a life! Initially, she wasn't one to speak of her illness, but over time she saw the value in sharing...learning that she wasn't alone in cancer. She wasn't alone in dealing with tough life issues. Learning that most everyone walks around with difficult things to deal with, that often times are held in secret and with unwarranted shame. She broke through that. The loving support from friends and family sustained her throughout and she was forever grateful.
Adrienne is survived by her husband, James; their two children: Melissa (Mya) Ann Strasser and Derek James Strasser; her grandson Juniper; her brothers Bob and Allen (Kathy) Giedraitis and her sister Geri Myles and the many nieces and nephews she always enjoyed hearing about.
Adrienne was preceded in death by her parents, George and Frances; brother in law, Lewis Myles and sister in law, Elizabeth (Walls) Giedraitis; nephew, Mark Giedraitis; and brothers in law, Gregory, Paul and Mark Strasser. Adrienne loved family and family loved her back. She will be greatly missed.