Abstract
Loyl Stromberg, 97, passed away Sept. 30, 2011, at Essentia Health St.Joseph's Medical Center in Brainerd.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Oct. 4, 2011, at Faith Lutheran Church in Swanburg Township. Family and friends are invited to gather one hour prior to services. Memorials are preferred to the National Poultry.Museum,
Loyl is survived by hi~ sons L~(J a~tofrine River and Kraig (Diane) of Rockville, R.I.; grandchildren Carl, Eric and Tracy; brother myne of Crosslake; and sister Bettie Snyder of Brainer& He was preceded in death by his wife, Evelyne, and son, ~ith.
Loyl was born on a farm nea: Otho, Iowa, in 1914, where he lived until he was 10 years old. There he learned early how to take care of chickens.
In 1922, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ernst Stromberg, moved to Fort Dodge, Iowa, to start one of the first chick hatcheries in the state of Iowa. That hatchery grew from producing 3,500 chicks a year to 2 million chicks at the farm's peak.
Loyl graduated from high school in 1932 and did not go to college, as the growing poultry industry was his field of opportunity. In 1933, he went to Minneapolis to operate the branch hatchery until 1940, when he returned to Fort Dodge to be assistant manager.
On June 28, 1941, he married Evelyne Erickson of Minneapolis, who as time went on became his partner in Stromberg's Chicks and Game Birds, a mail-order catalog.
He reorganized the Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities. Later he wrote books on poultry and game birds-a total of 14 books, including Poultry of the World, which is sold all over the world.
In Fort Dodge, Iowa, he was a member of the Grace Lutheran Church, where he served as deacon and trustee. He also served on the building committee for the construction of a new church.
In 1972, Loyl and Evelyne moved to Pine River, Minn., where he was a member of Crosslake Lutheran Church and later Faith Lutheran Church in Swanburg.
He was also a lifetime member of the American Poultry Historical Society and the Crosslake Historical Society. In more recent years, he promoted tours for poultry fanciers to go to Europe; he promoted a total of six tours.
A finale in his career was starting t!;ie~ional Poultry Museum in Bonners Springs, Kansas. He is recognized as its founder. Loyl Stromberg was known and respected worldwide.