Thomas David Strickler

Thomas David Strickler, 89, of Wooster, formerly of Berea Kentucky, died Thursday, March 22, 2012. Memorial services will be held on May 27th, 2012 at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Wayne County, 3186 Burbank Rd., Wooster, Ohio at 3:00 p.m. Custer-Glenn Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Wooster is privileged with serving the family. Words of comfort may be shared with the family at: www.custerglenn.com. He was born on November 11, 1922 in Ferozepur, Punjab, India to the late Herbert Johnson Strickler and Martha Stewart Strickler. He was a graduate of the Woodstock School, Mussoorie, India; College of Wooster in 1947 and Yale University in 1952 where he earned his PhD. He served in the U. S. Army Training Program, Lehigh University from 1943-1944; the Pacific Campaign and the Liberation of Philippines in 1945 and also Yokosuka, Japan in 1945. Growing up in India, the son of Presbyterian Missionaries he enjoyed hunting in northern India as a teenager; as an adult he enjoyed traveling in the U.S. and abroad; astronomy, including traveling to observe solar eclipses; bicycling, he once rode with a friend around Lake Erie during his college years, tennis and photography. He was an instructor and member of the research Staff at Yale University Accelerator Laboratory 1952-1953. Physics Professor and Department Chair, Berea College, Berea Kentucky 1953-1988. National Science Foundation and Fulbright lectureships in India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Zambia. He also worked with the Health Physics Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the summers between 1954 and 1964, and during a sabbatical year of 1965-1966. Since moving to Wooster in 1989 he has attended the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Wayne County. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by first wife Mildred Martin Strickler, stepmother Anne Smith Strickler, siblings Susanna Strickler Smith and Stewart Strickler. He is survived by wife Margaret (Margo) Warner Curl; children Dennis Strickler (Candice) of TN, Dr. Howard Strickler (Susan) of AL, Frances Drake (John) of TN, Susan Strickler-Polstra (Thijs Polstra) of the Netherlands and stepson James Curl and fiance' Catherine Chicoine of Akron. Grandchildren Sarah Strickler (Cory Surrat), Tommy Strickler (Ellen Strickler), Hunter Strickler (Lauren Strickler), Martin Strickler, Susanna Drake (Michael Butler), Emma Drake (Hillary Drake), Paul Drake (Lenore Braford), Anja Polstra and Benjamin Polstra. Great-Grandchildren, Alston Butler, Inman Butler, Inga Drake and Haleigh Strickler. Memorial contributions may be given to Berea College (CPO 2216, Berea, KY. 40404) or the Friends of Woodstock School (PO Box 749780, Los Angeles, CA. 90074-9780.

Thomas David Strickler

November 11, 1922 - March 22, 2012