Norman Henry Stradley

June 28, 1924 - October 5, 2018

Norman Henry Stradley, 94, passed away October 5, 2018. Norman lived at Park Place Estates in Harlingen, Texas, since moving from Minnesota in 1990. In 2011, he moved to Golden Palms Retirement Center in Harlingen, Texas.

He was born June 28, 1924 in Newark, Ohio.

Norman was predeceased by his wife of 70 years, Margaret Jeanne Coy Stradley; his parents, Edward Foster and Catherine Leah Keller Stradley; 1 brother, James Grant Stradley; and 1 sister, Kathleen Leah Stradley Chanay. He is survived by his children, Edward Ray Stradley of Fort Worth, Texas, and Dr. Pamela Jeanne Stradley White (Danny) of Memphis, Tennessee; 2 grandsons, Dustin Travis White (Brandis) of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Kyle Lane White (Amy) of Saint Louis, Missouri; 1 great-granddaughter, Nora Liberty White of Chattanooga, Tennessee; 2 great-grandsons, Jackson Lane and Clayton Andrew White of Saint Louis, Missouri along with numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.

Norman graduated from Newark High School in Newark, Ohio in 1942 and was president of his senior class. He also attended Ohio State University where he earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in Ceramic Engineering. He also attended the University of Virginia where he studied pre-meteorology.

He is listed in the Who's Who in the Midwest and Southwest Business and worked for 3M Company in various positions and retired in 1988 after 38 years of service to the company where he obtained numerous patents in his field. He served a total of 20 years in the US military rising to the rank of Second Lieutenant in the US Army Air Corp and retired as Major in the US Air Force. He served as a navigator in WW II on a B24 bomber in the theater of CBI (China, Burma, and India).

He was a Fellow in American Ceramic Society, American Institute of Chemists and National Institute of Ceramic Engineers. Norman was also an Emeritus member of several Professional and Honor Societies to include Keramos, Sigma XI, Tau Beta Pi, Sigma Gamma Epsilon, life time member of Sigma Nu Fraternity, Emeritus-TBDBITL-Ohio State Marching Band Alumnus. He was also a life member of Lions Clubs International since 1987 with perfect attendance since 1963. Among his many awards in Lionism, he was a Melvin Jones Fellow and Texas Foundation Fellow and served in all local and district offices in three different districts, including District Governor 1982-83 in District 5M-6 and a current member of Harlingen Lions Club as well as VFW and American Legion, Harlingen, Texas. He was a member and attended First United Methodist Church in Harlingen, Texas.

If desired, memorial donations can be made to First United Methodist Church, 321 East Harrison, Harlingen, Texas 78550 or the Lions Club of Harlingen, PO Box 522, Harlingen, Texas 78551. You are invited to sign the online guestbook at http://memorialparkonline.com

Norman was a member of the marching band in 1942. He returned to the band and marched from 1946 through 1948. He played trumpet.