Jon P. Strecker, Sr., age 60 of Kenosha, passed away on Friday, January 9, 2015 at Aurora Medical Center in West Allis.

Born on January 20, 1954, in Kenosha, he was the son of the late Arno and Helen (McDermott) Strecker.

He attended local schools and graduated from Tremper High School where he took second in state for wrestling. He also attended Winona State University in Minnesota.

On January 26, 1974, he married his high school sweetheart Deborah Roberts at St. Mark’s Catholic Church. They were blessed with 3 children, almost 41 years of marriage, and were voted Kenosha’s Cutest Couple of 2014.

Jon was a construction foreman; in 1978, he became a member of Kenosha Laborer’s Union 237. He served as President of Local 237 until 2007 when they merged with Laborers International Local 113 of Milwaukee.  He had a great work ethic and was never above working side by side with his crew.

Throughout life, Jon gave much of his time and talent back to community by coaching soccer and little league and helping out with his children’s school’s PTAs. He became a Mason and was a member of Unity Lodge 367. He was known for his honor and integrity, sacrificing so much for so many. Known to everyone as “Big Jon”- he was known for his larger than life personality. Jon always had a smile, a great laugh, his big heart, and the best hugs. He loved music of all genres and enjoyed attending concerts and musical theatre. Jon was very romantic, sentimental, and was never afraid to show his softer side – even with his blue collar background.

He loved to travel and because of his love of all things Irish, his trip to Ireland was his favorite place that he visited. The Food Network fueled Jon’s ambition to travel long distances to try the food they featured at various diners and restaurants across the country. For example he traveled on a weekend to Pittsburg, PA just to experience a Primanti Brothers sandwich. He enjoyed scouting out the best Bloody Marys everywhere he traveled, but he also loved having a Ron’s Place Long Island back home in Kenosha.

Jon was also an avid Packer and Badger fan. He was currently 20,426 on the Lambeau Field season ticket waiting list and a proud Green Bay Packer Shareholder.

Jon will be remembered for his smile and kind heart by his best friend and love of his life his wife, Debbie; his children, Jon (Jill) Strecker Jr. of Kenosha, Kimberly Strecker of Kenosha, and Casey (Kelly Fulton) Strecker of Minneapolis; his two grandchildren, Brooke and Rylee; his sister, Jackie (Gary) Kutzke of FL, his mother-in-law, Suzy Roberts of AZ, Brothers-in law, William Roberts, Chetek, WI, Joseph (Rita) Roberts and sister-in law, Penny Roberts of Rice Lake, WI.  He will also be missed by his nieces, nephews, cousins and especially his McDermott family cousins, along with his longtime friends, The Dino Ranieri family, Terri Boerner family and Ron Atanasoff family.

Along with his parents, Jon was preceded in death by his father-in-law, Clarence T. Roberts.

Service Info

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 17, 2015. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:00 a.m. at St. Mark Catholic Church, 7117 14th Ave. Relatives and friends are asked to meet at the church. Private inurnment will take place in Sunset Ridge Memorial Park.