Darin Joseph Stricker

A cherished father, husband, son, brother, and friend. A caring nurse, full of strength, with a tender, kind heart, who always wanted to get the most out of every day. Darin Joseph Stricker, 43, of Billings, Montana, died peacefully at home after a long and valiant battle with ALS.

Born in Billings on July 11, 1982, to David and Vickie Stricker, Darin was creative, funny, and tender-hearted from the start, spending his childhood playing superheroes and growing into an athlete who carried that drive into marathons and Spartan races. After earning a degree in creative writing from the University of Montana in Missoula, he followed his calling into nursing at MSU Billings, devoting his career to caring for the Billings community. Whether in long-term acute care, cardiology, the infusion center, or cardiac rehabilitation, he brought compassion, humor, a love of fitness, and a belief in the body's resilience to those facing serious illness.

Darin found his greatest joy in the outdoors. Whether hunting, kayaking, or simply exploring, he was most at home under an open sky. He cherished time spent at the family cabins on Deadman's Basin, where his days flowed from early-morning fishing to afternoon wakeboarding, ending with quiet evenings watching the sun set beside a crackling campfire.

A lifelong comic-book enthusiast, Darin drew inspiration from the heroes he admired - especially Spider-Man, whose stories captured his imagination from childhood. Guided by the belief that "With great power comes great responsibility," he carried his compassion across the world to Guatemala and Thailand, using his nursing skills to care for those with limited access to medical help.

Darin's humor and creativity were boundless. He loved making films with friends and family, bringing stories to life through both comedy and documentary. He later wrote children's books for family and friends - heartfelt creations that delighted all who read them. His gift for storytelling, and the joy he found in sharing it, will be remembered by all who knew him.

Darin was always eager to learn a new skill or find a new way to be active. He met the love of his life, Elizabeth, while trying out an Aikido class in Billings. Elizabeth and Darin married on September 20, 2014. For their honeymoon, they hiked 150 miles along the coast of Portugal and Spain, following the Camino de Santiago. If you took Darin's life in a snapshot, you could see it in the Camino. He was a knight on a quest, always finding ways to live a fuller life - adventurous, strong, and deeply spiritual. Darin and Elizabeth continued that adventure with the birth of their first daughter, Noelle, in 2018, and joyfully welcomed their second daughter, Adalee, in 2021.

Above all else, Darin was a daddy. He loved his little girls with his entire being and, through every moment and hardship, always held them first in his heart and mind. Around Adalee's first birthday, Darin began experiencing neurological symptoms that were later diagnosed as ALS. Although he spent the final years of his life paralyzed, he met each day with remarkable strength. He took his girls on wheelchair rides, patiently taught them Spanish, and told them stories through his eye-gaze device.

Darin is survived by his wife, Elizabeth (Beese) Stricker; daughters Noelle and Adalee; parents David and Vickie (Beaudette) Stricker; brothers Jeff and Eric Stricker; sister-in-law Sarah; niece Brienne; and nephew Oliver. He was preceded in death by his grandparents John and Jackie Stricker, Dan and Pat Beaudette; aunt Sandra Stricker; cousin Dirk Stricker; and his beloved companion, Ranger.

Services to honor and celebrate Darin's life will be held on February 4, 2026, at 11 a.m. at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 717 18th St. W, Billings, MT 59102. A livestream will be available on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/dahlfuneralchapel and at https://www.stpiusxblgs.org/. Memorial contributions may be made to the Billings ALS Family Fund at https://billingsalsfamilyfund.org/.