J Strickland

Dr. J.D. Strickland, 96, passed away on Tuesday, July 29, 2008. His funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday in the Mausoleum Chapel of Resthaven Memorial Park in Lubbock. Visitation will be from 4 to 6 PM on Thursday at Elmwood Funeral Home, 5750 HWY 277 South.

J.D. was born May 22, 1912 to Claude Mott and Nettie Pearl Williams Strickland in Haskell County where he lived until 1926. His elementary school years were spent in a two teacher, eight grade rural school. His early years were during the great depression and this impressed him in many ways and continued to influence him for the rest of his life.

His family moved to Silverton where he entered high school and graduated as Salutatorian in 1930. He then enrolled in Texas Technological College with a 75.00 scholarship, 70.00 in cash and two cows which were placed in the college dairy. J.D. worked in the dairy, milking cows from 4:-6:00 a.m. and 5:00 -7:00 p.m. seven days a week. He graduated in 1934 with a BS in Animal Husbandry and a Smith Hughes Certificate to teach Vocational Agriculture. He had no other financial assistance and was debt free.

Things really began to happen after his birthday, graduated from college, married and was employed as a Vocational Agriculture teacher. He taught five years in high schools in the Lubbock area. His fourth and fifth year he was Critic Teacher for Texas Tech, training Smith Hughes Vocational Agriculture Teachers. He was awarded an MS degree at Texas AM by going to summer school and independent study.

J.D. then made an assistant professor in the Animal Husbandry Department of Texas Tech where he taught for seven years. He then moved to Plainview and became Coordinator of Veteran Vocational Training School for Hale County. He trained uncertified agriculture teachers for Hale County and other counties in West Texas. While in Plainview, he took courses at Texas Tech to qualify him to work in Educational Media. He obtained a Masters in Education at Texas Tech, majoring in Educational Media. He worked in Plainview for twelve years and then moved to Odessa as Director of Educational Media and Head of Department of Education and Psychology at Odessa Community College. J.D. felt some of his greatest honors and accomplishments came during those twelve years.

Dr. Strickland then transferred to West Texas State University as Assistant Director of Educational Services and head of Educational Media to set up a pilot program for state wide Educational Service Centers. He later became Director of Educational Media and Professor of Education at this University. His primary focus was working with future teachers and university professors in the utilization of educational media in the classroom.

Dr. Strickland received a BS, M. Ed and Ed. D from Texas Technological University and a MS degree from Texas AM University. He did advanced graduate study at University of Colorado, Oregon State, Kansas State and New York University.

J.D. was honored as Outstanding Young Man of Plainview Texas, Outstanding Citizen of the Year in Odessa, Texas, selected as Texas Junior College Teacher of the Year. Whos Who in American Education, Outstanding President, District VII Optimist International 69 Club, organized and was President of Plainview Optimist Club.

J.D. retired in 1975 after forty one years in education. He and his childhood sweetheart, Hazel, spent the next 25 years traveling in a travel trailer and Chevrolet suburban, covering the United States, Canada, Old Mexico and Nova Scotia. The also toured Europe.

J.D. and Hazel were members of the following trailer clubs: WAGG Amarillo, Good Sam, Hi Rollers of Abilene, and Silver Streak Club of Lubbock. They were also active in the State and National Good Sam Organization and J.D. was President of the Silver Streak National Club.
P Dr. Strickland was a member of the St. Paul United Methodist Churchst1:P

Visitation

Elmwood Funeral Home
5750 HWY 277 South
Abilene, TX  79606
Thursday, July 31, 2008
4:00 to 6:00 PM

Service

Funeral Service

Resthaven Memorial Park, Mausoleum Chapel
5740 W. 19th ST
Lubbock, TX  79407
Friday, August 1, 2008
11:00 AM

Cemetery

Resthaven Memorial Park
5740 W. 19th ST
Lubbock, TX  79407

Memorial Contributions

St. Paul United Methodist Church
525 Beech ST
Abilene, TX  79601

Hospice of the Big Country
4601 Hartford St.
Abilene, TX  79605