Birth Date: 01/11/1935
Deceased Date: 09/12/2021
David Earl Strickland, age 86, went to be with Jesus on Sunday, September 12, 2021. Born January 11, 1935 in Johnston County, he was son of the late Marshall David Strickland and Louie Ellen Johnson Strickland. He was preceded in death by his brother and best friend, Robert Raeford Strickland. David was a member of Palmer Memorial Free Will Baptist Church in Garner but spent the last several years attending Branch Chapel Free Will Baptist church in Selma.
David graduated from Four Oaks High where he lettered in baseball. He loved the Four Oaks community very much. David also was very fond of the many friends he knew from Popeye’s on Hwy 96. They met every morning. Oh, the stories those walls could tell….
David worked for Southern Bell (now AT&T) for 35 years as a cable splicer where his coworkers affectionately nicknames him “half legs”. After his retirement in 1990, he pursued another passion of his, furniture Upholstery. He went to Wake Technical College and took classes in Upholstery to perfect his craft. He did this for many years until his health would no longer allow him to continue. He spent many long hours and weekends with his brother, Ray, somewhere in a boat at one of their favorite fishing spots. David was also an avid hunter. He did not hunt for trophy but for the food that could be used to feed his family and any friends that would need help. Our freezers were always full of deer meat and dad would share with anyone. Our dad always had a smile on his face and joy in his heart. If he met you once, you were his friend for life.
Dad was passionate about his yard. You could always find him on his lawn mower keeping his grass always cut. In 1997, our parents moved back to Johnston County and they had 7 acres of grass to cut. Dad could always be found on his prized Z-turn keeping that grass mowed. Dad loved to be outside and as long as his health allowed, he kept a very well maintained landscape.
Dad was truly a miracle man. In 1967, he fell off of the top of one of the telephone poles he was working on when the cables holding his platform broke. His body was broken and bruised but once he was released from the hospital and allowed to go back to work, he just kept climbing those poles until his retirement, often times in pain. Over the years he had many brushes with severe injuries as he never knew when to stop. In November 2012, he and our mom were hit head on by a drunk driver. Dad spent 3 months in the hospital, 2 of which were in the ICU unconscious. Several time during those 3 months, doctors would tell us they had done all they could do. But God still had a plan for dad and in January of 2013, he walked out of WakeMed in Raleigh and defied all odds. His health began to fail a few years after this accident and he suffered many falls and injuries but this energizer bunny just kept going. He lost his eye sight to macular degeneration but that still did not stop him. His last fall on Monday, August 30, 2021 proved to be more than his body could take. God opened his arms at 3:50 on Sunday, September 12th and said, My child, come on home. Though we are sad to see him go, our hearts rejoice knowing that he now has eyes that can see, ears that can hear, and legs that will carry him all over heaven without pain. I am even sure he may have told Saint Peter that he would mow the grass if he could find his Z-Turn. We love you daddy and we will see you again one day.
Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. Friday, September 17, 2021 in Branch Chapel FWB Church. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Friday just prior to the service at the church.
Surviving are his wife, Betty Renfrow Strickland; son, Robin Strickland and friend Connie Hollingsworth of Raleigh; daughters, Teresa S. Lane and husband Jeff and Myra S. Peedin and husband Larry “Bobby”, all of Selma; sisters, Barbara Pritchard and husband Edward of FL, Joan Lassiter and husband Harold of Four Oaks; sister-in-law, Betty C. Strickland of Raleigh; grandchildren, Morgan Messick and husband Chad of Statesville, Spencer Lane and wife Meredith of Clayton, Hayden Lane, Joshua Peedin, Drake Peedin, and Nolan Peedin, all of Selma; great grandchildren, Paisley Messick, Kane Messick, and Hunter Lane; and several nieces and nephews that he loved dearly.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.parrishfh.com.
