Gwen Strunk

Gwendolyn Adele Strunk; formerly Gwendolyn Adele Prong, a faithful servant of the Lord, passed away peacefully on April 26, 2025 at the age of 95. She was surrounded by family. Born to Dewey and Isabelle Schlee on September 27th, 1929 in Detroit, Michigan. From an early age, Gwen loved learning and centered her life’s work around teaching others that same joy. Even before receiving her Bachelors in Education from Michigan Normal College, Gwen found her purpose in teaching the under-served, intercity children of Detroit. After obtaining her degree, schools in Benton Harbor and Grand Rapids also benefited from her passion. Believing the love of reading was best instilled at a young age, she primarily taught kindergarten through second grade, while also involving her students’ parents in the classroom, teaching life skills and continued learning within the home. Later earning a Masters from Michigan State, her formal teaching career lasted thirty-four years. But this was not the only avenue in which Gwen impacted the minds of children and her cohorts. After marrying Edwin Prong in 1951, she became involved with the Civil Rights movement. Together, they participated in marches, political letter writing, and real estate redlining stings. She too was a dedicated church and community volunteer, tutoring adult reading classes, participating in Vacation Bible School, becoming a Sunday school teacher, helping found St. Augustine Episcopal (one of the first multi-racial churches in West Michigan), and helping with various women’s groups and hospice services. Throughout her life, she was an avid blood donor. Even in death, she will continue to volunteer—Gwen had chosen to donate her body to MSU’s medical school. But perhaps what Gwen will be best remembered for is her nativity tours she gave every Christmas. Containing over a thousand pieces, Gwen invited people from all walks of life into her home to share the story of Jesus. Room to room, she would lead her guests through Egypt, Galilee, Nazareth, weaving together the message of God with foods from the various cultures and explaining the symbols of the Bible. So enthralled in telling others about her love of the Lord, Gwen wrote a book called Make Room For Jesus which helps people incorporate Christ back in Christmas and Easter. While Gwen’s love of God was always at the forefront of her life, so too were her children, Keith, David, and Nancy. Lucky to find love twice more in her life, Gwen married Ken Bancroft in 1987 and John Strunk in 2006. Through this grand family tree came countless grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Gwen’s joys. She loved being a grandma, always playing, teaching, and nurturing. She was adventurous and kind-hearted in equal measure, constantly vibrating with a sparkle of goofy humor. Gwen was like that towards everyone—whether it be a neighbor, or someone new at church, or a stranger down on their luck. Her door was always open to those in need. Gwen leaves behind her beloved husband of eighteen years, John Strunk; her cherished children, Keith Prong, David (Linda Keway) Prong, Nancy (Bruce) Mercier; step-children, Martha (Larry) Meyer, Luke (Wendy) Strunk, Philip (Stacey) Strunk, Emily (Mark) Micconnell, Sarah (Guy) Biddle; grandchildren, Jeremy, Holly, Jessica, Lauren, Megan Adele, Mckenzie; great grandchildren, Josie, Avery, Addison, Noah, Liam, Owen, Benjamin, Stella; and many treasured step-grandchildren, step-great grandchildren, and nieces and nephews. Gwen was preceded in death by her parents, Dewey and Isabelle (Pearson) Schlee; sister, Shirley (Don) Rhodes; first husband, Edwin Prong; second husband, Ken Bancroft, and grandson, Eric Olds. The family thanks the wonderful staff at Bay Ridge Memory Care and Hospice of MI for their loving care of Gwen, and the family, during a very difficult time of transition. A service will be held at 11AM on Saturday, May 24. Visitation is at 10AM with a luncheon to follow the service, at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1896 Rogers Rd, Grawn. While Gwen loved flowers (which John gifted her daily), Gwen would instead love for memorial contributions to either be given to the Redeemer Lutheran Church Youth Group, a gofundme for Gwen’s great-grandson, Owen (https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-owies-fight-in-the-picu), or Dolly’s Imagination Library. To leave a message for the family, please visit www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com

Gwen Strunk

September 27, 1929 - April 26, 2025