Norman Noel Strause

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Norman Noel Strause, age 88, of Ponoka, Alberta, on June 17, 2025, in palliative care at the Ponoka Hospital and Care Centre. He was a beloved husband, dad, grandpa and great grandpa.

Norm was born May 17,1937 in Ponoka where he grew up with his 5 siblings, and at the early age of 8, he took the bus to Nanton and rode with the mailman or his uncle to his Uncle Val’s ranch in the Alberta Foothills where he spent every summer, and his love of ranching began.  He was a boy scout, was in the Ponoka Air Cadets, and served as an armourer in 418 (City of Edmonton) Light Bomber Squadron (Auxiliary) on the B-25 Mitchell.

He loved the outdoors and working in the outdoors. He drove truck, worked as a ranger where he went on patrol in the winter to supply fire watch towers before spring arrived in 1956 and 1957 – he helped to build the Conklin fire tower that still stands. 1958, he worked derrick on a rig up the Alaskan Highway mile 204 and 50 miles in the bush. Then when the rigs shut down, he happened on a job as a Deck Hand on the McKenzie River for the Canadian Hydrographic Service until October – he said he would never do that again. He briefly went back to the oil rigs, until 1959 when he joined the Edmonton Police Service until he retired in 1986. And, in 1960 he married his soulmate, Marjorie Cummings.

Norm enjoyed his time as a policeman and had many stories to share. While Norm was on the force, he received many commendations including the Police Exemplary Service Medal from the Governor General in 1984, and he and two others started the first Crime Prevention Unit in Canada. He retired in 1986 to his dream job – raising horses.

Norm and Marj moved out to the Buckhorn Ranch, west of Ponoka, and continued to grow their Morgan horse business. His all-time favourite horse, Buckhorn Suzy, was a buckskin mare who had real cow sense. Along with his border collie, Jack, they moved a lot of cattle for the neighbours, processing the animals, and branding. The phone call that often came from the neighbours was asking if Jack and Norm could help work cattle. He often said that his favourite job was riding the pastures for Shawn Campbell.

When he decided he might be getting too old to be starting young horses under saddle, he and his son, Val, ventured into Texas Longhorn Cattle. They ran cattle for several years until a bad drought hit and the decision was made to sell the herd. Being a little bored, he decided to buy Quarter horse foals in the fall, do the ground training, had someone a little younger get in the saddle, and then sell the horses. When he retired Suzy, he found a blue roan named Smokie.  Norm was the only one who truly appreciated Smokie.

When the granddaughters came along, who were the light of his life, he became the maker of milkshakes, always had homemade fruit leather for them, and everyone loved his beef jerky and fudge.

Norm and Marj retired from ranching and moved into town in 2016. The adventures continued with all the stories at coffee time, be it Tim Hortons, A&W, The Bird – to become the Crow – and many other coffee spots in town. Norm was known for his story telling and his wit.

Norm is survived by his wife of 65 years Marjorie (Cummings) Strause; his daughter Jodi Wood (Frank); his daughter-in-law Wendy Adam (Dwayne); his 5 granddaughters Brittany Watkins (Tyson), Kassandra Spruyt (James), Rebecca Walline (Brendan), Brynne Wood, and Jenna Wood; 6 great-grandchildren, soon to be a 7th. He was predeceased by his parents Jacob Raymond (Ray) and Sophia Priscella (Ella Blake) Strause; his siblings Donald, Gloria, Gary, Murray and Jean; and his son, Val Strause.

His family would like to thank the following:

The nursing staff and cardiologists on unit 22 of the Red Deer Hospital Regional Centre

All the staff of Unit 1 of the Ponoka Hospital and Care Centre for their care and attention of Norm. He said that he always felt very well cares for by the staff at both hospitals.

We would also like to thank Dr. Howard for her care of Norm.

Marlon and his staff at Ponoka Funeral Home for their help and guidance during this time.

Flowers for You for the arrangements.

And those who have sent flowers and phoned the family.

Norm’s service will be held Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. at Ponoka Funeral Home with a light lunch to follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations are gratefully accepted to the Ponoka and District Health Foundation: Palliative Care Unit.

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