Ned and Gail Strickler

NEWPORT NEWS - Funeral services for Ned and Gail Strickler were held at 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 22, 2008, at Louisburg Lutheran Church. Interment was in the Louisburg Lutheran Cemetery.
Ned Harding Strickler Jr. was born on Dec. 31, 1947, in Newport News, Va. Ned attended Ferguson High School and graduated from Hargrave Military Academy. In January 1995, he married Gail A. Richard. Ned was an avid ham-radio operator.
Ned died on Monday, Sept. 15, in an automobile accident. He had reached the age of 60 years, 8 months, and 14 days. He is preceded in death by his parents, Ned Sr. and Bernice Strickler.
He is survived by his brother, Ken (Deb) Strickler of Glen Allen, Va., and their children, Josh, Brent, and Kelly; four stepchildren, Andrew (Katharine) Bates of Mascoutah, Ill., Deborrah (Aaron) Larson of Ortonville, Melissa (Steve) Paxton of Chesapeake, Va., and Joseph Pachokas and his fiancEe, Catherine Larson, of Louisburg; seven step-grandchildren, David, Danielle, and Adam Bates, Schuyler and Alec Larson, and Matthew and Clay Paxton; sister-in-law, Claire Everhart, of Westport, Conn.; and other relatives.
Gail Alma Strickler was born on Jan. 17, 1940, at Brooklyn, N.Y., to Elmer H. and Mabel (Dauerenheim) Richard. She was baptized at Bethany Methodist Church and was confirmed at New Utrecht Dutch Reformed Church. She graduated from Lafayette High School in Brooklyn, N.Y.
She was married to Ned Strickler Jr. in January 1995 in Newport News, Va. Throughout her life, she worked as secretary for different companies, as a certified nursing assistant, and also as a home health aide. She had deep respect for the young and the old that she cared for.
She loved to bird watch, garden, decorate, craft, and knit. She loved decorating glass and other items with paint. Nothing gave her greater joy than to be with her children. She belonged to the knitting group at Village Crafts in Ortonville. She and Ned were members of Louisburg Lutheran Church. Gail had a heart of gold and loved her family deeply and unconditionally. She loved to make people laugh.
Gail died on Monday afternoon, Sept. 15, at the St. Cloud Hospital as the result of an automobile accident. She had reached the age of 68 years, 7 months, and 28 days.
She is survived by four children, Andrew (Katharine) Bates of Mascoutah, Ill., Deborrah (Aaron) Larson of Ortonville, Melissa (Steve) Paxton of Chesapeake, Va., and Joseph Pachokas (fiancEe, Catherine Larson) of Louisburg; seven grandchildren, David, Danielle and Adam Bates, Schuyler and Alec Larson, and Matthew and Clay Paxton; her sister, Claire Everhart, of Westport, Conn.; her brother-in-law, Ken (Deb) Strickler of Glen Allen, Va.; several nieces, nephews, and other relatives.
She is preceded in death by her parents; son, Timothy Martin Bates; and brother, Ronald Richard. View and post condolences on our online guestbook at dailypress.com/guestbooks.