Joshua Norman Stroud

Joshua Norman Stroud

Josh was born on December 12, 1986 and on Sunday, April 24, 2011, died tragically and unexpectedly. Since that time, a wave of grief and mourning coursed out to the many, many people who shared either some or all of their lives with him. This grief and sadness, though, is simply a representation of how powerful a connection people shared with him, and the resulting pain because of its sudden severance.
Not everyone has the pleasure and joy of simultaneously having two loving families. Aside from the obvious benefits of multiple Christmases and birthdays, which surely he enjoyed, multiple families gifted him with the support and strength only close family can give his entire life.
He was raised in conjunction by two separate and caring families, Doug Stroud with Carrie Olson, and Cathi Goodhue with Bob Goodhue.
Josh is also survived by his older sister, Jamie Chapman with brother-in-law, Jake Chapman; and by his younger brother, Alex Olson.
It pains this writer to select and choose those family and friends to name in this seemingly short selection, but to each of the countless aunts, uncles, nephews, and other family and friends, understand that to this author, having a name put on to a paper feels such a frivolous evaluation of the powerful way in which Josh, was, is, and will be, in all of our lives.
For some family, seeing our Josh with a controller in his hand can evoke a memory from years past to when he was gifted his first gaming console by his loving uncle, Jeff Moyer, to perhaps only a month ago. His passion for video games, while perhaps not understood by all, is a powerful representation of who he was. However, as he aged, only one passion perhaps surpassed playing video games, when he received his first car: the infamous McLincoln. Driving for Josh and the subsequent responsibility of caring for one's car was something he took to a whole new level: whoa to anyone who thought that a Geo Storm wasn't a race car, or if a Ford Aspire's trunk couldn't be used as a make-shift spoiler. Perhaps what Josh lacked in his care for the direct maintenance of a vehicle, he made up for with such an immense passion for cars and driving in his own very special way.
Some people could easily consider Josh to be a rash person but his ability to react immediately with a decision was perhaps his most loveable attribute. Be it a quirky comment, a rush to a friend or loved one's immediate need (and indeed he did rush!) or a demand to what he could do to help in any situation, this part of Josh is what made him such a caring and compassionate person. Some people are indeed labeled as selfless, but name one person we all knew that could literally and figuratively forget his feelings and needs, for those of another. His compassion showed not only in times of need, but also in times between. It is a struggle to think of anyone who was, simply put, so damn funny. No one could ever do an impersonation and/or quote a movie with both perfect intonation and accuracy as well as Josh. No one was ever so willing to put on a theatrical persona and proceed to make us all laugh, or perhaps run, lest we meet the uncomfortable end of a well-placed pelvic thrust.
Whether you knew Josh by his name, Stallion, Babies, Bear or Broskie, he will be with us all in our individualized way. What Josh now lacks in his corporeal presence, he more than maintains himself in all of our memories, our minds and our speech. In this way, it will be impossible to forget you, Josh. You know we all love you and are glad that you finally have a well- deserved peace. I love you.
The memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 7, 2011 from 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at the Best Western Banquet Hall, 3228 Marine Drive NE, Marysville, WA 98271.