1/16/1941 – 9/16/2025
Baldwin City
Marilou Strahm departed this Earth on September 16, 2025. She entered the mortal plane on January 16, 1941 in Kansas City, Kansas. She got shuffled around a lot as a kid and had to be tough to take care of her little brother, Jack, who preceded her in death. She started working when she was 14. After high school, she married someone who turned out to be a ne’er-do-well, but got two fantastic daughters out of the deal: Paula Allain and Karen Roberts.She and her daughters were close throughout their lives. After her divorce, she moved back to Kansas, and eventually married bachelor farmer Allen Strahm.
She loved living on a farm in remote Kansas—few people and lots of animals. She lived there for 40 years, with a variety of dogs, cats, and chickens, many brought home from her work at a local veterinary clinic. Particularly memorable to her were her dog Ponch and her cat Chi, but they were all beloved.
She was a voracious reader and thinker, very into liberal and progressive politics, and a staunch feminist. She is sad she didn’t live to see a certain someone led away in cuffs. If you had a question about history, she could answer it. She raised her girls to think and speak up for themselves and others. She loved birds, QVC, and watching the soaps. She had a sharp sense of humor, passed down to her daughters, granddaughters Jill and Ellen Cavender, grandsons Shaun and Tristan Baruth, and her great-granddaughter Lily Cavender. She was a beautiful artist, painting many natural scenes of Kansas wildlife.
She had to leave the farm due to health and moved to Lawrence to be near family. She battled mightily with severe arthritis and mobility issues and often, depression. In the last two years of her life, she lived at Baldwin Care Center and developed a wonderful bond with her nurse, Mark.
Her health was failing, so Hospice Care of Douglas County assisted her over time to remain comfortable and in charge of her choices. On a day with a glorious sunset and spectacular heat lightning, she entered a deep sleep. With her family and caring staff around, she departed her body and entered the next phase of her cosmic journey. She definitely believed that something mysterious was out there waiting for her.
Marilou was a friend to many and an entertaining conversationalist. She had great love for her sons-in law, Matt Allain and Mark Roberts and her grandsons/daughters-in-law, Christopher Bradley, Makoy Baruth, Emily Berg-Baruth, and Adam Schultz. She really enjoyed meeting Adam’s daughters Ryleigh, Aubrey, and Lily S. She adored her grand-dog George, and great grand-dogs Charlie, Penny, Jack-Jack, and the dearly departed Q, Skye, Katy, and Mollie.
If you are moved to do anything in Marilou’s memory, please donate to the Lawrence Humane Society. Otherwise, VOTE, be kind, read a good book, call a loved one, and then go take a nap, preferably with a dog or cat at your side.
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