"Today I close the door to the past, open the door to the future, take a deep breath, step on through and start a new chapter in my life." (unknown)
Obituary
Karon Avaleen Kirk Strandberg, our loving but crazy, half-marathon-a-day-walking, pickle ball-playing, always-learning-something-new mother, grandmother, aunt, sister, and friend, passed away at home on 27 February 2026 following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer.
Karon was born 6 March 1946 to Avaleen Wall Roundy Kirk and Robert Evelyn (Curley) Kirk in Payson, Utah. The youngest of 5 children, she was raised on Main Street in the small town of Goshen, Utah. She attended Goshen School through grade nine and graduated from Payson High School in 1964. She met Edward Odin Strandberg, Jr. in 1967 while both were employed by Kennecott Copper at their Tintic Mining District operation in Dividend, UT. Karon and Odin were married on 12 October 1968 in Goshen. They welcomed Edward Odin Strandberg, III, on 15 May 1969, and Heather Avaleen Strandberg on 26 February 1972. Due to Odin’s work, the family moved around quite a bit. Starting in Payson, Utah, the family also lived in Oklahoma City, OK, Casper, WY, Stansbury Park, UT, Sonoma, CA, and Anchorage, AK before finally settling in Fairbanks, AK in 1985. Alaska was Odin’s home (born and raised), and Karon agreed to live in the state for two years with hopes of returning to the western states to live closer to her family. That was in 1981. Odin passed away in 2000, and her kids were still in Fairbanks, so there she stayed and found her joy.
During the first 11 years of her marriage, Karon gave all she had to raising her children and providing a safe and warm place for the family to live, love, and have fun. During this time, she was active in her community by participating in various clubs and organizations, such as the Parent Teacher Association at her children’s school, a bridge club, and her church. When Ed and Heather got a little older, Karon started taking community college courses and then went to work as a bank teller and loan officer for National Bank of Alaska and Bank of the North. Eventually, she went back to school and earned an associate’s degree in paralegal studies. She then worked as a paralegal for Hompesch and Evans, APC, from 1998 to 2011. In 2011, Karon retired and spent the next few years figuring out what really made her happy. She made some amazing discoveries about herself. She found her joy in walking daily (working up to 35000 steps, often more, every day for 10 ½ years), playing pickleball and mahjong, knitting, reading, participating in the Alaska International Senior Games, being a member of the Pioneers of Alaska, and taking Osher Life-long Learning Institute classes (in the end, she found the Line Dancing class incredibly fun, even if she complained about having two left feet).
A big contributor to Karon’s joy was her membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She loved her Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and showed that through the way she served others. She loved the scriptures and the words of the latter-day prophets and apostles. Because of her faith, Karon was not afraid of death, even if she might not have thought it would come so soon.
Karon’s greatest treasure was her family. She gave everything she had in the way of time, talent, and substance to provide everything to her kids and grandkids. She made every effort to attend every event of any importance, no matter how small or great. She spent a lot of time in the car driving her kids and grandkids to lessons, practices, and activities. Karon made sure her kids and grandkids could ride a bike and tie their shoes before they went to kindergarten. If they wanted to learn to skate or play baseball, she made it happen. She always made sure there was something good for breakfast before school, like chocolate chip pancakes, and yummy snacks to come home to, like homemade bread with butter and jam. She spent a lot of nights cramped in her own bed to make room for a scared kid or two. And baking with her was always a special time to have fun and to talk about anything that needed to be said. Giving her all to her family and their friends brought her the honor of being called Grandma Karon by everyone. She loved that title.
Karon is survived by her son, Edward Odin Strandberg, III of Conroe, TX (LeAnne); daughter, Heather Avaleen Strandberg Hartman of Faribanks, AK (Chris); and grandchildren, Sarah Avaleen Hartman of Eugene, OR (Atticus); Lily (Robert Eugene) Hartman of Eugene, OR (Grace); Naomi Marie Hartman Foster of Fairbanks, AK (Jaren); Edward Odin Strandberg, IV of Bloomington, IN; and Joseph Salvador Strandberg and Olivia Rose Strandberg (Peter) both of Sheridan, IN. Karon was preceded in death by her parents, Robert Evelyn Kirk and Avaleen Wall Roundy Kirk; spouse, Edward Odin Strandberg, Jr; and siblings Ada Jean Kirk Rohletter, Evelyn Don Kirk, Wendell Curtis Kirk, Sandra Dianne Kirk, and Winifred Roundy White.
A memorial service for Karon will be held at 11 am on 28 March 2026 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 403 Lazelle Rd, Fairbanks, AK (corner of the Steese Hwy and Johanssen Expy). In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting the donation of shoes and boots, gently worn or new of any size, to be given to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital and the Center for Nonviolent Living. Please also feel free to sign up for your favorite 5K run this spring and channel Karon into your every step.
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Karen keep walking your path in heaven, you were a blessing to all of us! Miss you my friend, Tanya
I will always remember you as a kind and sweet woman, who taught me that it is always a good time to go walk around miles and miles, no matter how tired, sad, or whatever happens, we are.
Thank you for your kindness and patience, when I was not good at English, you always tried to teach me.
I send my love, hugs and thoughts to all the family.
My love from Chile, to you
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