Sherm and Rudy Strate

SPRING CITY—For their lifetime of service, Sherm and Rudy Strate have been selected as this year’s grand marshals for the Spring City Pioneer Day celebration.

Both Sherm and Rudy are natives to Sanpete County. Sherm was born and raised in Spring City, and Rudy attended school in Mt. Pleasant.

Sherm served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Saints in Denmark and graduated from Snow College before marrying Rudy on Sept. 9, 1960, in the Manti LDS Temple.

The couple lived in Logan and Ogden before moving to Spring City in 1961. Sherm worked on the family dairy farm in Spring City for several years. Later, in 1969, he opened a garage. He operated that business until 1981, when he was named transportation supervisor and mechanic for North Sanpete School District. He held that position until he retired in 2002.

Meanwhile, Rudy worked at Thiokol Chemical Corporation in Tremonton before working with Merrill Hermansen, an attorney at law in Manti. Rudy was hired as a secretary in the North Sanpete School District in 1982, where she worked until she retired 20 years later.

Sherm and Rudy raised three sons and are the grandparents of 15. They served an LDS mission in Denmark from 2002-2004, and currently serve as ordinance workers in the Manti LDS Temple.

Cynthia Allred, a member of the committee that selected the couple to serve as grand marshals, said the Strates have been excellent examples of service in the community.

“They are very community-minded,” she said. “They’ve been involved in serving the community their entire married lives.”

Sherm was instrumental in organizing community baseball in Spring City. He was asked to coach the first little league team in the city, and oversaw the purchase of uniforms and ball equipment.

Sherm also served one term on the Spring City Council. He served as a volunteer for the Spring City Fire Department before working as chief.

Rudy has volunteered her time for many community and civic projects. She taught 4-H classes for a number of years and is a member of the Horseshoe Camp of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers (DUP).

Rudy later served as chairman of the old Spring City school restoration committee.

The couple will preside over activities at the Pioneer Day celebration in the city. “This is our chance to thank them for their service to the community,” Allred said.