- Date Of Birth: August 30, 1963
- Date Of Death: July 10, 2022
- State: Michigan
Robert Arthur Strand passed away unexpectedly on Sunday morning, July 10, 2022. Bob was born on August 30th, 1963, in Watervliet, Michigan, to Robert W. and Janet (Baker) Strand. Bob’s life was consumed by his love of science and electronics, all things Trish and all things family, helping others, and the daily challenge of “what can I create in the lab or kitchen?” Bob also cared deeply for animals. His most recent four-legged companion was Gizmo (a.k.a. Woof Woof, Doggie, Boo Boo). They became fast and inseparable friends. Whether hunting frogs or taking long naps, they were always together.
Bob knew what he wanted early in life – he wanted to be an inventor and entrepreneur, and he wanted to share the rest of his life with the love of his life, Trish (Ledlow); they were united in marriage on September 4, 1982. After the birth of their first son in 1983, Bob designed and built his own monitoring system so they could hear their newborn from any room in the house. Bob went on to create many unique and marketable products, most notably electronic art in the form of plasma sculptures that were marketed and sold globally to science museums and art centers.
With a “family first” mindset, Bob and Trish settled into a consumer electronics business for over 20 years. Following the 2008 market crash, and with gentle persuasion from Trish, Bob established a new career course, and joined the Anatomical Pathology Division of Thermo Fisher Scientific (now Epredia) as a full-time Field Service Engineer. In his new role, Bob repaired and maintained critical laboratory diagnostic equipment, traveling all over the country to ensure critical patient care. His work often kept Bob on the road for 60+ hours per week, which left him with lots of “windshield time.”
Bob used this time to rock out to his favorite music, talk to Trish, and think of new ideas and projects to start. Bob chose this career for over a decade before leaving in 2020 to take some much needed time for himself. Growing restless, and with former customers still calling him for help, he put his entrepreneur hat back on and opened his own service business, StrandPath Scientific. In this new venture, Bob worked independently with laboratory owners, directors, managers, and technicians – providing the same dedicated service level he provided while at Thermo Fisher and Epredia.
His customers included universities, hospitals, and research facilities. Bob approached both life and work with a serious commitment to do his very best, and his family and customers loved him for it. Across the board, Bob was routinely sought out by others to solve or fix their various electronic and electromechanical problems, and he was always happy to help – generously giving of both his time and knowledge.
Beyond his love of electronics, Bob loved traveling with his family and wife. He and Trish shared a love of music, and had been to hundreds of concerts all over the country. Bob was an amazing cook and baker, loved camping, enjoyed going to the beach for a nap, and relished sharing creations and knowledge with any like-minded individual. He was an amazing man – extremely hard working, smart, kind, generous, considerate, loving, and sincere. Bob’s goal was to ensure everyone had a great time, and he went out of his way to make that happen.
Bob is survived by his loving wife, Trish, and their four sons, Robert A. Strand II, Devon Strand, Brandon (Alyssa) Strand, and Darren Strand; grandchildren Lily Strand and James Strand; parents Robert and Janet Strand; siblings Richard Strand, Robin (Tim) Patt, Rory (Lori) Strand, and Erica (Chris) Hurst; brother-in-law, Dale; sisters-in-law Julie, Laurie, Karen, and Linda (Dean); and many nieces and nephews.
