Gary Strand

Gary R. Strand, of Bryant, died on July 18, 2025 at Aspirus Wausau Hospital. He was 86 years old. He was born on April 4, 1939 in St. Cloud, MN, a son of Rudolph and Eleanor (Gauer) Strand. Gary has been with his fiancé Janet Kamke for 14 years.
He was a graduate of St. Cloud High School Class of 1957. Gary was the lead for commercial art and advertising for Our Own Hardware in the Twin Cities and took several international trips representing the company. He was the owner of the Dairy Queen in Antigo having purchased it in 1984 and was proud of the service that his employees and crew provided. Gary's son Tom, will continue his legacy in ownership of the Dairy Queen, leaving the business in capable hands and continuing the tradition of high quality service.
He was a member of the Antigo Music Association and sponsored Antigo Music in the Park. Over the years Gary donated to the Humane Society, Antigo School District, and other projects to support the community. Gary was also a longtime supporter of the Wounded Warrior Project.
His passion for nature and love of being surrounded by wood inspired him to design his own log home. Gary and Janet worked closely together to create the Dairy Queen Gardens in Antigo, providing a place of beauty for the public to enjoy.
In addition to his fiancé, survivors include son, Thomas (Kim) Strand of Bryant; daughter, Carla Von Bank of Rogers, MN; brother-in-law, Don Kalscheuer; sister-in-law, Gail Strand; three grandchildren, Laura (Mike) South of Burnsville, MN, Catherine (Jordan Garcia) Ashbridge of Arroyo Grande, CA, and Eliott Stumpf of Burnsville, MN; Gary is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by sisters, Lois Lunemann, Carol McCoy, and Patricia Kalscheuer; brother, Richard Strand; and brothers-in-law, Duane Lunemann and Robert McCoy.
A funeral service will be held on Friday, August 8, at 7 p.m. at the Bradley Funeral Home. Visitation will be held on Friday, August 8, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
At the time of service, a livestream can be viewed by following this link: https://www.youtube.com/live/Eylc7oupRm4 To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Gary, please visit our Tree Store.