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Thursday, January 30, 2025
Jerry “AJ” Strawn
City: Iowa City
Funeral Home
Lensing Funeral and Cremation Service
Thursday, January 30, 2025
Jerry “AJ” Strawn
Jerry “AJ” Strawn
Iowa City
Jerry “AJ” Strawn passed peacefully early on January 26, 2025 after a hard fought battle with lung disease, surrounded by his beloved wife Diane and daughters, Amy & Jenni.
Jerry was born on July 26, 1950 in St. Charles, Iowa to Wayne “Shorty” Strawn and Sallie (Johnson) Strawn. A 1968 graduate of I35 Schools, he attended Central College in Pella, Iowa for one semester, and then ventured out on his own. After a variety of careers, he found his calling as a “Jack of All Trades” doing whatever was needed – heavy machinery, bookkeeping, court appearances, or contract negotiations. Jerry’s true love was all things automotive – especially his R/C addiction.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Shorty & Sallie, and his in-laws, Tom & Wilma Denneny. He is survived by his beloved wife of 46 years, Diane (Denneny) Strawn, his children Amy (Eric) Davis; Jennifer (Mason) Boyd; two stepchildren, Kris (Hung) Le and Jeff (Jenn) Gould; and seven grandchildren; three siblings in the Des Moines area, Tom (Eilene) Strawn, Kent (Cyndie) Strawn, Pam (Matt) Helgeson; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life will be held in the spring.