Austin Kelly Strom tragically passed away on Saturday, August 17, 2024, at the place where he considered home, Prairie Heights Church in West Fargo, ND. His visitation will be held from 4:00 - 7:00 PM on Friday, August 23, 2024, at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Clarissa, MN. A Funeral Service in his honor will be held at 11:00 AM, on Saturday, August 24, 2024, at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church with visitation one hour prior to the service at the church. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to his family.

Austin Kelly Strom tragically passed away on Saturday, August 17, 2024, at the place where he considered home, Prairie Heights Church in West Fargo, ND. His visitation will be held from 4:00 - 7:00 PM on Friday, August 23, 2024, at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Clarissa, MN. A Funeral Service in his honor will be held at 11:00 AM, on Saturday, August 24, 2024, at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church with visitation one hour prior to the service at the church. 

Austin Kelly Strom was brought into this world on May 6, 1999, in Long Prairie, MN by Richard and Robin (Rech) Strom. He was the oldest of 4 children. Austin was raised in Long Prairie, MN until 5th grade when the family moved to Browerville. During his younger years, he loved to fish, spend time with friends, lift in the weight room, and was an avid football and baseball player in high school. Austin graduated from Browerville High School in 2017 and then attended North Dakota State University and Minnesota State University Moorhead for Criminal Justice and Sociology. After completing his master’s degree, Austin worked at Clay County Juvenile Detention Center where he helped struggling teenagers, and in the last few years his jobs always consisted of helping others, helping others was what Austin truly loved most.

The weight room was very important in Austin’s adult life and he went to the gym regularly. He struggled with a gambling addiction, but recently overcame that addiction and welcomed God into his life. Prairie Heights Church and its members became like family to him. Austin’s mission in life was to help other people and to spread the word of God. He attended many self-help groups and posted daily inspirational videos, always ending the video with the sign of peace. He was very forgiving and was known to say “spread love, not hate” and “upwards and onwards”. Austin was in the process of writing a book with the purpose of helping other people overcome any addiction. In the presence of his family, it is easy to see how proud they are of him. He will be dearly missed by many.

Austin is survived by his parents, Richard Strom and Robin (Mike Proell) Strom; siblings, Dakota, Mackenzie, and Tate Strom; paternal grandma, Lee Strom; maternal grandma, Patricia Rech; and many aunts, uncles, and cousins. He is preceded in death by maternal grandpa, Richard Rech; and uncle, Kelly Strom.