Morris R. Strom, formerly of Chicago, passed away at St. Joseph Hospital in Bellingham, WA on Friday, April 26, 2002 at the age of 87. Morris was born in Chicago on January 2, 1915, a son of Swan R. and Ella L. (Johnson) Strom. He was educated in Chicago and attended Northwestern and DePaul Universities. During WWII he served in the US Army in Europe and was awarded the Purple Heart. After his time in the service, he was employed as an accountant by Armour/Greyhound in Illinois and later in Arizona until his retirement in 1980. While in Chicago he married life-long friend Elsie Hillblom on August 17, 1940. Together they were very active in the Village Evangelical Free Church in South Holland, IL. Morris was an Elder, choir member, Chairman of the Church and the Building Committee, a Sunday School Teacher and member also of the Pulpit Committee. While in Scottsdale, AZ he became an active member of the Scottsdale Baptist Church. Following his career retirement, he became active in the Gideon Ministries. In 1996 both he and Elsie moved to Lynden, WA to be near family. In recent years they resided at Lynden Manor. Morris’s life was his faith and his family. He is survived by his wife of nearly 62 years, Elsie; son, Warren “Bud” Strom and wife Kristy of Lynden; daughter Beverly Bluth and husband Michael of Clinton, Conn.; grandchildren, Jeff and Marc Strom of Lynden; brother-in-law Ralph Bong of Batavia, IL and nieces and nephews; he was preceded by his parents and sister Doris Bong. A funeral service was held in the Chapel of Gillies Funeral Home in Lynden and private burial took place in Chapel Hill Gardens South in Chicago.
