Col. (Ret.) Ray A. Strawser of Maryland, died on Wednesday, December 31, 2015. Col. Strawser was a son of the late Clarence and Erma Graybill Strawser. After serving in the U.S. Army in the Philippines during World War II, he graduated from Houghton College. While attending Northern Seminary in Chicago, he served a church in that city. He returned to the army as a chaplain during the Berlin Crisis. His army career included service in Vietnam, where he served soldiers in combat. He earned the Bronze Star and other medals for that service.
Col. Strawser earned a doctorate from Wesley Seminary, Washington, D.C. He was stationed in Germany for nine years, where he and his wife, Elva Jean, received honorary citizenship from Darmstadt for their contributions to German-American relations. Col. Strawser retired from the army and as a priest in the Anglican Church in America. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Elva Jean Strawser; three children, Karen, Kathy, and Ray II; six grandchildren; and a great-grandson. Friends called at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, New Windsor, Md., from 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday, January 2. The family will also receive friends at Mt. Hope United Methodist Church, 75 Mt. Hope Church Rd., Quarryville, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, January 3. Services will be held from the church at 1 p.m. on that date. Burial with military honors will be in the church cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Church of the Reconciliation, 129 N. Bond St., Bel Air MD 21014 or St. Labre Indian School, P.O. Box 216, Ashland MT 59003. Comments are closed.
|
Categories
All
Archives
May 2024
|