Roma Strickland

Roma Strickland was born on July 22, 1934, to the late Joe and Novella "Ollie" Strickland. He was the eldest of twelve children born and raised in Castalia, North Carolina. From a young age, he embraced the responsibilities of family, a trait that would define his remarkable life journey. As an adolescent, Roma greatly enjoyed baseball and was a school bus driver during his high school days. He graduated from Perry High School in Centerville, N.C. He married the late Gloria Brown Strickland in 1954 and together they had three children, Arnett Wayne Strickland, Taiwanna Ramona Strickland Smith, and LaVita Zanette Strickland LeGrys.

In 1957, Roma joined the U.S. Army where he served as a Light Air Defense Artillery Crewman and later transferred to the Washington, D.C. Army National Guard, 171 st Military Police Battalion from 1959 to 1963. During his tenure with the D.C. National Guard, Roma patrolled President John F. Kennedy's inauguration ceremonies during one of the coldest days in inaugural history. Roma's military service ended honorably in 1963.

Following his military service, Roma had a successful civilian career as a baker. After an initial period at the S&W Cafeteria in Alexandria, VA, he later worked at the Safeway bakery, where he served for more than 25 years, from 1963 until his retirement in 1991. Widowed in 1988, Roma found companionship and love again with Delories McNair in 1994. Roma gained the blessing of a blended family and gained another daughter, Angela Basnight, through the union of his second marriage.

Roma's culinary gifts extended far beyond the professional realm of managing the commercial bakery. His hands brought joy and comfort to all who knew him. He was renowned for his baking-from legendary German chocolate, coconut, and pound cakes, all baked from scratch and to scientific precision, to freshly baked breads, sweet potato pies, cheesecakes, and one-of-a-kind peach cobbler filled with fruit freshly picked from his own peach tree. Beyond baking, Roma was an exceptional cook, transforming simple ingredients into delicious and nourishing meals for his family, friends, and community. Even after his retirement, the demand for his homemade meals and baked treats never waned. He and his beloved wife, Delories, made their home a vibrant hub of hospitality, with family dinners, special celebrations, and even the annual Labor Day neighborhood cookout-an event highly anticipated and wonderfully attended by family, friends, Matthews Memorial Baptist Church members, and neighbors alike.

Roma was a man whose actions often spoke louder than words. While he possessed a quiet spirit, great dignity, and a sharp wit, his true language was expressed through the masterful work of his hands. Whether he was building birdhouses, a special swing for his grandchildren, ingenuously transforming old wooden doors into handy shelves, tending to his gardens, or simply fixing whatever needed his attention, his creative mind was always at work with purpose and diligence.

He was, in every sense of the word, a truly wonderful son, a loyal brother, a devoted husband to Gloria and Delories, a present and nurturing father, a doting grandfather, and a cherished uncle.

We are eternally grateful for the immeasurable blessing of his boundless love, unwavering kindness, and the profound, comforting presence he brought into our lives.

Roma was predeceased by his parents, Joe and Ollie, first wife, Gloria, and brothers Thurman, Leon, and Arthur, and his sister Alberta. He is survived by his second wife, Delories of Fort Washington, MD.; his four children, Arnett Strickland (Debra) of Washington, D.C., Taiwanna Smith (Jerome) of Lorton, VA, LaVita LeGrys (James) of Cambridge, N.Y., and Angela Basnight of Owings Mills, MD.; two sisters, Melissa Dean and JoAnn Battle of Louisburg, N.C., six brothers, John Thomas Strickland of Baltimore, MD, Willie Strickland (Beulah) of Youngsville, N.C., Morris Strickland of High Point, N.C., Charles Strickland (Jewel) of Deer Park, N.Y,. Baby Ray Strickland of Louisburg, N.C., and Antonio Bell Strickland of Nashville, N.C; eight grandchildren, sixteen great grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, and other relatives and

friends.