December 3, 1916 - December 27, 2015 William Schamel Stryker, M.D., passed away December 27, 2015 in San Diego at the age of 99. He was born December 3, 1916 in Boulder, Colorado to George W. and Frances (Schamel) Stryker. He grew up in Boulder and attended the University of Colorado, graduating in 1940 with a B.A. degree in chemistry. In 1942 he received his Doctor of Medicine degree from University of Colorado School of Medicine. He completed one year of his internship program at Medical College of Virginia when the Navy offered him the opportunity to complete his training at a Navy hospital. He became a Commissioned Officer in the USN Medical Corps in April 1943. He served in the Pacific Theater during WWII, first at Eniwetok in the Marshall Islands and later, Saipan in the Marianas. After the war, Dr. Stryker reported to USNH Oakland to begin his residency in Orthopaedics. It was there that he met and would marry Mary Irene Smith, a Navy nurse who had been stationed in England on D-Day. They would enjoy 43 years together, being blessed with six children (born at five different duty stations). He completed his orthopaedic residency at Shriners Hospital for Children in Philadelphia. During the Korean War, Dr. Stryker served aboard the USS Consolation, a Navy Hospital ship, deployed off the coast of Korea. His last duty station was Balboa Navy Hospital in San Diego, where he was Chief of Orthopaedics. Capt. Stryker retired from the Navy in late 1969, having served 26 years active duty. Dr. Stryker moved to Los Angeles to embark on the second half of his professional career. He was Medical Director at Los Angeles Orthopaedic Hospital from late 1969 to 1977 after which he went into private practice. He resumed his academic career at Harbor/UCLA Medical Center where he was Chairman of the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery from 1983-1992. He retired from Harbor General Hospital/UCLA Medical Center in 2008. Dr. Stryker was a Fellow in the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and a member (Emeritus) of the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS), serving as its President 1983-1984. He was a long time member of the Wilson-Bost Interurban Club. Dr. Stryker resided in Rolling Hills Estates, located on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in Los Angeles for nearly 40 years. To his family, his home was known simply as "Masongate". In 2010, he moved back to San Diego to be closer to family. Dr. Stryker is survived by his daughters, Barbara, Kerry Tabler, and Mary Blackman and his sons Gregory and William F. He has 13 grandchildren and 2 great grandsons. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Mary, his son Jeffrey, his sister Margaret Ann Moffat and his brother John. The Stryker family would like to express their deep appreciation to the caregivers and staff at Cloisters of the Valley Assisted Living. Dr. Stryker was interred at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego on Friday, January 8, 2016 with military honors

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Published by Los Angeles Times from Dec. 30, 2015 to Jan. 10, 2016.

Memories and Condolences
for William Stryker

12 Entries

Richard M. Braun MD

December 24, 2021

Each anniversary brings another memory reminderof a departed teacher who inspired young surgeons to always strive for excellence,and to always remember to care.

Barbie Scott

August 14, 2021

I never remember if I got to that Dr Stryker, he took care of be since I was a toddler until I school. He made this very quite shy girl into a confident women who grew up 2 have to sons and became a ER nurse who loves to take care of people. I hope his family know I appreciate everything he has done for me and he always made me feel special, and he will always be remembered

Debra Douglass

July 9, 2021

I always meant to send Dr. Stryker a note telling him how well I was doing. He corrected my back with a spinal fusion when I was 10 years old. I now have 4 grown children and continue to play tennis! Thank you Dr. Stryker.

Richard Braun

December 24, 2020

I am now about 88, the age of Bill Stryker when this story occurred. Sue and I were standing in the lobby of the Marines Memorial Association in San Francisco, where we stayed during the Orthopaedic Academy meeting. As Bill Stryker stepped out of the elevator, Sue asked, " Dr. Stryker, what are you doing here? ...You're retired ..." Bill paused, looked somewhat puzzled, smiled, and said " Susan, you don't ever really retire from lifetime learning ..."

D. Calvert, then LCpl, USMC

November 27, 2020

On June 11, 1965, at USNH Balboa, Dr. Stryker saved my right foot and ankle. I returned to my unit ten weeks later

May 29, 2019

Dr Stryker treated my father in the pacific late in WWII. My father remembered Dr. Stryker for his whole life. He saved my dad's foot and Dad was grateful until the day he died.

Mark Tafoya

February 1, 2019

You will never be forgotten. A heart of gold . You enabled me to keep my foot at the age of 22 . You always treated me and everyone else like we were your only patient. May the lord take care of you the way you did us all . Rip

Ed Johnson

January 21, 2019

I first saw Dr Stryker when I was a dependent son USN and a senior in high school. I had separated my shoulder at the end of my junior year and was told by another doctor that I wouldn't be cleared to play football in my last year of high school. My father, being used to the ways of the military, told me we could just go over the head of the Navy Commander who had operated on me and 'take it to the Captain'. Captain Stryker told me my shoulder would be fine and that I should just wear another knee pad under my shoulder pads. What he wanted to see more was my hip which had been pinned by a friend of his several years before. Later, I saw Dr Stryker as an E-3 IC man when I showed up for an appointment with another doctor and ran into him in the hall. He looked at my name stenciled on my shirt and said, "Johnson! How the hell did you get into the Navy?" I told him that the Ensign who gave me my physical in Seattle had never heard of him and didn't believe my hip condition was bad enough to defer me. After asking if I had anything better to do than be in the Navy, he told me to report next Sunday. That I was getting out of the Navy. There was more but this is enough to endear the man to me forever. I onlt wish I'd known he was going to live so long. I'd have made the trip to San Diego to thank him in person.

Dale Garrison

November 15, 2018

At the age of 12 Dr Styker was my surgeon.I was A Military Dependent.I was born with a bone missing in my left leg.He sat me down and told me the different options i had and what could be the outcome with each.I picked an amputation.In January 2019 it will be 50 years ago.In the military you are told what you get.Ill never for get Dr Stryker.RIP Captian StrykerDale Garrison

John De Witt

June 4, 2017

1968 I was Capt. Stryker's patient at Balboa during those bittersweet days when some of Pueblo's crew returned to Balboa from North Korean prison. He fixed my broken femur and it's still holding up!

Probably 5 - 10 years back ... I tracked the good doctor down and I left a message with his office (I recall it was a teaching U). Doctor Stryker returned my call at my home. I told him I just wanted to thank him for helping me. We had some small talk; we both like cars. His favorite a old Jag. I shared how I'd become an engineer in auto manufacturing and a few possible parts sources. We bid one another farewell. May God Bless and Keep Captain Stryker and his family.

Ruth WOODFORD

February 29, 2016

He was an AWESOME man and Dr. with a heart of GOLD. I will never forget him. He did many of my operations growing up and kept me out of a wheelchair. Ortho has lost a great Dr. and teacher.

Richard Braun MD

January 12, 2016

Captain William Stryker was a role model and leader for young Orthopaedic Surgeons in California for several decades. He was a mentor,an academic thinker, and teacher for young surgeons at the US Naval Medical Center,Balboa,at the Los Angeles Orthopaedic Hospital, and at the UCLA Harbor Hospital. He was a lifetime student of Orthopaedic Surgery. He founded the Orhtopaedic Residency Training Program at the Balboa Medical Center and established its reputation for teaching excellence. Bill Stryker provided a professional benchmark for those of us that followed in his footsteps and elected to always search for excellence in our own professional careers.
Richard M. Braun MD

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