Anthony Stracka

Madison - Anthony "Tony" J. Stracka passed away peacefully in his sleep on December 17, 2016 at the age of 84. He was born on January 24, 1932 to Anton and Katherine (Bauer) Stracka in Hartford. After graduating from Hartford High School in 1950, Tony went on to attend the University of Wisconsin Madison, where he received a degree in Physical Education in 1954. During college, Tony earned four letters in track, three letters in basketball, and was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. He was honored with the Senior UW Athlete of the Year award in 1954. After graduation, Tony served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. On January 15, 1955, Tony was united in marriage to Margaret A. Terrill at First Methodist Church in Mineral Point. He had a business career as a General Agent with Connecticut Mutual and Mass Mutual Life Insurance Company.

Tony dedicated his life to support the UW Badgers. He served on many UW Athletic Boards, including being a member and president of the National W Club, president of UW Basketball Booster Club, member of the Exchange Club, and president of the Mendota Club.

Tony will be remembered for his sense of humility, laughter, compassion, his big smile, and being a great teammate on the basketball court and in the business world. He had a passion for the outdoors, whether it be planting an amazing garden, wearing blaze orange during the hunting season, or tossing his pole in the water to catch the biggest fish. He made the world laugh, always telling his stories. He was a conservationist, and loved restoring native prairies, planting trees and gardening.

Tony's greatest gifts in life were his wife, children and grandchildren of whom he was very proud. He loved watching his children and grandchildren in their many different sports and activities, and teaching his grandkids how to fish and love life!

Tony is survived by his beloved wife of 62 years, Margaret A. Stracka; his loving children, John Anthony (Mary) Stracka of Madison, Timothy Terrill (Tracie) Stracka of Madison, and Susan Margaret (Brad) Fish of Grayslake, IL; nine adoring grandchildren, Ben, Renee, Hunter and Sammy Stracka, A.J., Maggie, Abby and Nicholas Fish, and Jenny Bennin; his brothers, Carl (Barbara) Stracka of Green Lake, Jim (Karen) Stracka of Pasadena, CA; sister, Rosemary Niederman of Belvedere, IL; and three grand-dogs, Switch, Bucky and Brook. He is further survived by his nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, colleagues and the entire University of Wisconsin Badger Letterman's Brotherhood will lovingly remember Tony. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Robert (Diane) Stracka; and brother-in-law, Karl Niederman.

A Celebration of Tony's Life will be held from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 21, 2016 at CRESS FUNERAL HOME, 3610 Speedway Road, Madison. All donations can be made to the Tony Stracka Memorial Tree Fund, and will be applied to the purchase of fruit trees. The produce will be donated to Second Harvest Food Pantry.

"Don't sweat the small stuff. Every day is a bonus day."

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Road, Madison
608-238-3434