Page 27 - Equipment Echoes Issue #137

REMEMBERING MARK STRAUSS AND KEVIN MAGUIRE

the end, he has willed his Case 350 dozer and a Case excavator to
Photo by the author Charlotte (Eklund) Lytikainen; siblings: Timothy (Debbie) Strauss
the National Construction Equipment Museum.
Preceded in death by his father, Mark is survived by his mother

of Troy, Michigan, Todd (Laurie) Strauss of Central Lake, Michigan,
Curt Strauss of Poland and step siblings: Paul (Cheri) Lytikainen
of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Rob (Jeannie) Lytikainen of Colorado
and Janet (Paul) Kruska of Shepherd, Michigan; and several nieces,
nephews, great nieces and great nephews.
Private graveside services and burial were at Roseland Ceme-
tery, Berkley, Michigan. Memorial donations may be made by mail
to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, 230 East Ohio Street, Suite
500, Chicago, IL 60611 or call: 888-733-6741.
Mark retired from a 39-year career with the Ford Motor Co.,
but it was his “career” with the HCEA that endeared him to us all.
We’re going to miss his gravelly voice and his perpetual good cheer
…and his friendship.

MARK STRAUSS Don Frantz, National Director
1951 – 2020
The HCEA has lost a tremendous asset and a dear friend. Mu-
seum volunteer Mark Eric Strauss passed away on April 8, 2020,
after a months-long battle with pulmonary fibrosis.
The oldest of four boys, Mark was born in Detroit on May 26,
1951, to Marvin and Charlotte (Eklund) Strauss. After graduating Image courtesy of Gary Munsey
from Redford Union High School in 1969, Mark attended School-
craft College where he attained an Associate’s Degree in Automo-
tive Mechanics. An above-average mechanic, especially with small
engines, he was the first call from his friends or family when they
experienced car trouble. He was always willing to do the work
without question or payment for services.
Mark was an incredibly active museum volunteer for 18 years.
Almost no other volunteer has put in more hours than Mark. He
always took on projects that needed tending to; week in, week out,
no volunteer accomplished more than Mark.
His weekly routine was to arrive at the museum around noon for
the Wednesday work night, eat a light lunch, and then go to work. JAMES KEVIN “J. K.” MAGUIRE
For most of the year this began with mowing all of the HCEA prop- 1945 – 2020
erty, a task that could easily take more than four hours. He kept the James Kevin “J.K.” Maguire, died Friday, February 14, 2020,
place looking great! Also, for the 3 years between BG conventions, at the Sawtelle Hospice House in Reading, Massachusetts, after a
Mark took on the task of charging the museum’s stock of batteries lengthy battle with Pulmonary Fibrosis.
by rotating their charging every week. Kevin was born in Boston on December 20th, 1945 to Thomas
He would pick up needed parts and rarely turned in a receipt R. and Warvilla A. (Durant) Maguire of Woburn, MA, where he
(something most museum volunteers are guilty of). He was always was raised with his brother Tom. He attended Woburn schools and
upbeat and always willing to lend a hand to other volunteers and was a graduate of Woburn High School Class of 1963.
office staff, sometimes even when it wasn’t needed! From the age of fourteen, Kevin developed a deep interest in
Mark was a lifelong bachelor, and actively pursued his interests. construction and heavy equipment, and after high school he fol-
He loved muscle cars and drag racing, and was close to completing lowed that passion by going to work for local contractors. He
restoration of a 1968 Camaro. He also had accumulated an assort- served in the National Guard, and in 1978 he started his own busi-
ment of old but productive construction equipment that he used ness, which he proudly named J.K. Maguire and Daughter Back-
on his property. He loved being part of the HCEA and, generous to hoe Service. In the 40 plus years that he ran his business, he never

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