Donald Cowan Strathdee

1923 - 2005

Donald Cowan Strathdee, 82, died Saturday evening, Dec. 17, 2005.

Funeral: A service at the grave will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday in Greenwood Memorial Park. A memorial service celebrating Don's life will be held at 5 p.m. Thursday in the sanctuary of St. Stephen Presbyterian Church. The Rev. Dr. Frederick Field Ritsch III, pastor of the church, will officiate.

Memorials: Mr. Strathdee's family suggests that his memory may be honored by making contributions to the Memorial Fund at St. Stephen Presbyterian Church, 2700 McPherson Ave., Fort Worth, Texas 76109.

A native and longtime resident of Fort Worth, Donald Cowan Strathdee was born May 4, 1923, the son of Arthur and Catherine Cowan Strathdee, both of whom were natives of Scotland. He graduated from R.L. Paschal High School and received a B.A. degree in chemistry from Rice University.

Don was employed by American Cyanamid as an analytical chemist in Fort Worth, before moving to Newark, New Jersey. Returning to Fort Worth, he joined Industrial Laboratories and became chief chemist, where he was employed for 35 years (with a brief interruption for military service) before retiring in 1987. He was a member of the American Chemical Society and of American Oil Chemists.

Strathdee was devoted to opera and was an active supporter of symphony and ballet. He spent many hours cataloging his extensive collection of classical recordings, which included 78s, 45s, LPs, reel-to-reel tapes, cassettes, CDs, and videos. In 1968, Don married Virginia Elizabeth Whipple and inspired her love of opera, symphony, ballet and duplicate bridge.

Don was an erudite gentleman, Presbyterian through and through. He was a member of St. Stephen Presbyterian Church from the Broadway Presbyterian days (pre-1949). He had served as a deacon, an elder, chair of the worship committee and other positions. His leadership ability and his kind and quiet sense of humor engendered respect and admiration for those privileged to work with and know him.

In addition to his parents, Don was preceded in death by 11 brothers and sisters.

Survivors: wife of 37 years, Virginia Whipple Strathdee of Fort Worth; nephews, James Strathdee of Spokane, Wash., and John Cannaday of Irving; great-niece, Margaret Faverty of Edmonds, Wash.; eight great-great nieces and great-great nephews; four great-great-great nieces and great-great-great nephews; and numerous cousins.