On Thursday, June 27, 2024, the Idaho Sheepherder departed to be with the Great Shepherd of green pastures and still waters. What a capacious legacy with volumes of stories he has left for us to treasure.
From true pioneer stock — Pauline Fyke, born in Wetonka, S.D., and Roy Stroschein, born in Bosler, Wyo., came their first born, Tommy Sherrill Stroschein, on July 26, 1937, in American Falls, Idaho. His mama told him it was the popcorn she ate the night before at the movies in Idaho Falls that prompted him to make his grand entrance into the world. We laughed when we found the $37.50 hand-written hospital receipt tucked away in his baby book that paid for his delivery and a mandatory two-week stay in the hospital.
Tom was incredibly proud of his German Hohenzollern heritage, and even more proud of the things his father accomplished in his lifetime with only an eighth-grade education. Tom credits his mother who taught in the Sterling and Aberdeen Schools over 30 years for being the silent force behind his father’s accomplishments: serving as a member of the Idaho Transportation Board, Aberdeen School Board and the Idaho State Legislature.
Tommy grew up working side by side with his dad on the farm at Sterling, 10 miles north of Aberdeen. He attended grade school at the Grandview School and high school in Aberdeen. If you have ever driven across the American Falls Dam and wondered how the black AHS sign on an orange background ended up on the 106-foot reinforced concrete grain elevator left standing in the reservoir after the reclamation project covered the old townsite, it was the senior class president, Tommy Stroschein, and the boys of the Aberdeen High School Class of 1955. They borrowed Tom’s dad’s boat (actually, it is rumored Tom’s dad was driving the boat), several gallons of black and orange paint, and a tall ladder.
After high school, Tom’s dad told him he could go to any college he wanted, but his tuition money would be at the University of Idaho. From that day on, Tom wore the silver and gold colors with pride. He said, “Even my T-shirts were gold; but that’s because of the Moscow water.”
In the fall of his sophomore year at Idaho, Tom survived the fire at Gault Hall started by a UI law student, tragically killing three of his fellow classmates. The next fall he became a charter member of University of Idaho FarmHouse Fraternity, commissioned in October 1957, and was the recipient of the coveted FH Doane Award. He was Outstanding U of I Senior, a member of Silver Lance, Blue Key, Alpha Zeta and national president (Royal King) of Intercollegiate Knights. Tom graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Animal Husbandry from the University of Idaho in 1959.
After college, Tom met Karen Smith, a sorority sister of Tom’s younger sister, Sharon. Tom and Karen were married Dec. 28, 1963. They made their life on the family farm where Tom worked since college; and where he recently acquired a band of sheep. He and his dad also expanded their irrigated farmland from 300 to 1,000 acres, officially becoming Stroschein Ranches Inc., raising hay, grain, sugar beets, peas and potatoes. In their 21-year marriage, Tom and Karen acquired an additional 4,000 head of ewes, bringing the total to 5,000. They were blessed with two children, Sherrill and Steve (also known as “Gus”).
It was the financial devastation of the 1980s that not only pushed family farms and ranches over the edge, but relationships as well. The sheep were liquidated along with the marriage in 1983-84, though Tom and Karen cooperated in parenting and were friends until her death in 2005. It was important to Tom that he later have Karen’s blessing on his marriage to Ruby Campbell Miles in 1990 when Tom also took on the responsibility of raising three stepchildren, Matt, Katie and Sarah.
Tom was appointed by Cecil Andrus to the Idaho Sheep Commission during Gov. Andrus’ first term, in 1972, and to the Idaho Wheat Commission during Andrus’ second term in 1990. Tom was appointed to the Idaho State Farm Service Agency Board in 1993. He also served on various boards and committees of National Farmers Union, Eastern Idaho Grazing Association and Society for Range Management. Tom worked with the U.S. Forest Service to initiate the first rest-rotation grazing program in the Caribou National Forest. In 1984, Tom was a candidate for Idaho State Representative, where he lost to Mike Simpson, claiming he helped launch the 40-year political career of the now District Two Idaho Congressman. He previously worked to get Richard Stallings elected to the position Congressman Simpson now holds, and went on to serve as Stallings’ agricultural adviser for several years, working on the 1985 Farm Bill in Washington, D.C.
After leasing the Aberdeen Farm to Val Wahlen in 1997, Tom and Ruby moved to Moscow for Ruby to finish her degree in ag econ. It was in this anomaly of political diversity Tom was successfully elected as Latah County Commissioner for four terms, retiring in 2015. During his tenure as commissioner, Tom was appointed by Gov. Otter as an Idaho Health and Welfare Board member in 2009, retiring in 2020. The awards and recognitions Tom has received through the years are extensive. Tom’s finest accomplishment was starting the Idaho Recovery Centers. Because Tom spearheaded the project, the initial funding from the Idaho Millennial Fund included the start-up of the Latah Recovery Center, and three others. The program has now expanded to nine alcohol and drug recovery centers in Idaho and several satellite centers.
Tom was an active member of the Aberdeen St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and Moscow Emmanual Lutheran Church, where he served on the church council, and University of Idaho Campus Christian Center board. He was also a member of the Moscow Rotary Club.
After Tom retired from the county commissioner job, he and Ruby sold their home in Moscow and moved to the home they built in Elk River several years earlier. Tom has most recently served as chairman on the Elk River Recreation District. Tom is survived by his only sibling, Sharon Stroschein Block, of Colorado, formerly Twin Falls; his wife, Ruby; and children Sherrill (Peter Tsoulos), of London, United Kingdom, England, Steven (Kika), of Woodbridge, Va., Matt Miles (Jenn Shipp), of Havre, Mont., Katie Miles (Matt Baldwin), of Seattle, and Sarah Miles (Kyle Stamper), of Kendrick; grandchildren Hannah Miles, Kylie Stamper, Katlyn Curnutt, Tommy Stamper, Matt and Alex Stroschein and Noah Tsoulos; and four great-grandchildren.
A special thanks to Julia Parker, Gentiva Hospice and the care takers of Cascadia of Lewiston. All of you showed Tom extraordinary respect, dignity, care and kindness and helped Tom’s family through a difficult time.
A public viewing will be held from 10-11:30 a.m. Monday, July 8, at Short’s Funeral Chapel, 1225 E. Sixth St., Moscow. A private family graveside service will be held at the Moscow Cemetery following the viewing.
A public memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 27, at the University of Idaho Administration Building Auditorium. Due to Admin Building parking reconstruction, parking will be available in parking lots on the north and east side of the music building, (Lots 41 & 46), the lot east of the Campus Christian Center (Lot 36), Lot 42 between Niccolls and Ridenbaugh Hall as well as Lot 45 across from FarmHouse on Blake Ave. The Vandal Trolly will be picking up at the large parking lot on Sweet Avenue (Lot 60) starting at 1:15 p.m. every 5 to 7 minutes and taking folks back after the service. Link to summer break parking map is here: bit.ly/4colwaM.
A recording of the July 27 memorial service will be available on Short’s Funeral Chapel website at shortsfuneralchapel.com.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Latah Recovery Center at latahrecoverycenter.org/contact-and-support-us.
Now, listen closely. Can you hear him shout from somewhere out there? “Go Vandals!”
Short’s Funeral Chapel of Moscow is in charge of arrangements and condolences may be left at shortsfuneralchapel.com.
