JAMES STROZIER

James Kinard (Jim) Strozier 1933 ~ 2010 On May 8, 2010 professor, army colonel, ski patroller, mountain host, Sunday school teacher, father, grandfather, and loving husband James Kinard (Jim) Strozier lost his long battle with brain cancer in Salt Lake City, Utah. Jim was born on May 21, 1933 in Rock Hill, South Carolina to Ben and Katharine Strozier. Jim Strozier was an amazing man of compassion, hard work, and integrity with a great sense of humor. He was admired by everyone with whom he came in contact. He was a professor with an extraordinary combination of brilliance and the ability to convey complicated matters in simple, but interesting ways. Jim was also a teacher of the core values that we need more of in this world - kindness, honesty, caring for others, commitment, and a love of life. He made a positive difference in many people's lives. He gave back to his country and his community in countless ways. He loved his family and friends beyond measure. Jim and his wife, Doris, lived a love story that spanned over sixty years. Jim graduated from Rock Hill High School and then he went to the University of Chicago for one year before attending the U.S. Military Academy at West Point (Class of 1956 where he graduated 10th in his class), from there he served in Germany, and then went on to obtain his masters and PhD in Aerospace Engineering (Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society) from the University of Michigan. He served his country in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969 where he earned a Bronze Star. He had a wonderful teaching career at West Point, where he taught for over 17 years. He graduated from the U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery Missile Schools, Command and General Staff College, and the U.S. Army War College. He received a Masters in Business Administration from The Roth School of Business Administration (Delta Mu Delta Honor Society) at Long Island University in 1984. After retiring from the Army in 1984 he moved to Salt Lake City to teach mechanical engineering at the University of Utah. He was named the Outstanding Teacher by the Mechanical engineering Department in 1984/1985, Outstanding Educator of the Year by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics in 1986/1987, and Professor of the Year by the Department of Mechanical Engineering in 1996. Jim loved the outdoors and especially skiing. He was an active member of the Brighton Ski Patrol and a Mountain Host at The Canyons and Deer Valley. He also loved tennis, handball, running and cycling. He completed the St. George marathon in 1993 at age 60 and he ran the Crazy Bob's Bair Gutsman Challenge several times. He was able to go on a four day helicopter ski adventure in the Gothic mountain range in Canada just before being diagnosed with a brain tumor. Jim was an active member, Sunday school teacher and Elder at First Presbyterian Church in Salt Lake City. He lived a full and challenging life constantly teaching and helping all those around him -he will be missed by many, but remembered for all he gave to his family, friends, co-workers, students, congregation members and strangers he happened to meet on the ski hill or anywhere! Jim is survived by his wife Doris, his brother Robert, his children Kathy Payne and her husband David in Atlanta, Georgia, Jim Strozier and his wife Janet in Albuquerque, New Mexico, four grandchildren Benjamin, Kendall, Althea and Halle, all of whom loved him very much. He was preceded in death by his father Ben, mother Katharine and brother Ben. We want to thank Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Dr. Sujit Prabhu, Dr. Ali Choucair, Dr. Michael Glantz, Dr. Jonathon Whisenant, and all the staff at the Intermountain Medical Cancer Center and the VA Nursing Home for all their talents, care and compassion during Jim's illness. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to MD Anderson Cancer Center, Pamela's Closet (c/o First Presbyterian Church), or www.caringbridge.org. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on June 19, 2010 at First Presbyterian Church, Salt Lake City. This world is a better place because Jim Strozier was in it - he will be missed.