Charles Strang Jr. Obituary

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Charles Strang Jr. (North Chicago, Illinois), born in Brooklyn, New York, leaving to mourn family and friends. Family and friends are welcome to leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family.

Father of the Stern Drive" dies at 96. He was born April 12, 1921 in Brooklyn, NY, the son of the late Charles D., Sr. and Ann (Ender) Strang. In 1943, Charlie graduated from Polytechnic University of Brooklyn with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He then enlisted in the United States Army Air Corp and instead of being sent to fight in World War II, he was assigned to Wright Aeronautical Corporation in New Jersey as a test engineer on aircraft engines. After about a year there, the Army Air Corp sent Charlie to the Flight Propulsion Research Laboratory of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (known as NASA today) until 1947. He then became a Research Associate in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA. (In his spare time while here, he designed a stern drive on paper which later was engineered and produced into many stern drives you see on boats today.) In 1951, he became Director of Research at Kiekhaefer Mercury Marine and eventually the Executive Vice President. In 1966, he served as Director of Outboard Marine Engineering (OMC) and later CEO and Chairman of the Board. His Board of Directors, of which he was very proud, included Bill Marriott, Astronaut Frank Borman, Bill France - NASCAR owner, and Richard Teerling, CEO of Harley Davidson. In 1998, Bill France announced that Charlie would become the National Commissioner for NASCAR and he held that post for 10 years. In 2015, Charlie became a member of the MOPAR Hall of Fame. As a kid, Charlie loved racing PRO and Stock outboard motors and made time in his adult years to serve the American Power Boat Association in many ways - including being their President. He also became the only American who has served as the President of the U.I.M. - a federation of some 50 nations that governs powerboat racing on a worldwide basis. Charlie is survived by his wife of 33 years, Barbara and his sister and brother -in-law, Sandy and Renn Jachimowski. He was preceded in death by his mother, Ann Strang; his Aunt Bess Kitchen; and his father, Charles D. Strang, Sr. Remembrances will be held at 11:30AM Sunday, March 18, 2018 at the STRANG FUNERAL HOME OF ANTIOCH, 1055 Main St. Antioch, IL 60002. A Memorial Visitation will be held from 10:00AM until 12:00PM Sunday at the funeral home. Interment is private. For additional information, call 847-395-4000. In lieu of flowers, donations are appreciated to Lake County Honor Flight (1850 Lewis Ave. North Chicago, IL 60064 or http://www.lakecountyhonorflight.org.