Obituaries: Donald Lyle Strong

Donald Lyle Strong, 85, of Prairie City died Jan. 26, 2009 at Blue Mountain Nursing Home in Prairie City. A graveside memorial service will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, March 7, 2009 at the Prairie City Cemetery, with Pastor Darrell Johnson officiating.

Mr. Strong was born March 6, 1923 in St. Louis, Missouri to Lyle F. and Cecile L. (Bennett) Strong. He attended high school in Sioux City, Iowa, graduating in 1941.

On Sept. 16, 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Marines, serving in the South Pacific until 1946. In 1949, he graduated from Iowa State College in Ames, Iowa with a bachelor’s degree in forestry. He trained as a sharp shooter and after 25 years in the National Guard and the Army Reserve, became a captain in the U.S. Army.

In 1946 he married Barbara Blackstone Peck in Iowa and in 1949 they moved to Eastern Oregon where they raised their six children. He worked for the U.S. Forest Service for 33 years, retiring in Dec. 1978. He remained in the National Guard and Army Reserve until 1983.

He married Paulina Pauly in 1993. His hobbies included reloading, hunting and baseball. He was affiliated with the Masons, Blue Mountain Lodge # 34 AF + AM, Shriners, Scottish Rite, Lions Club, Promise Keepers and the NRA. He served for seven years as district ranger for Prairie City and also received a Medal of Honor for Meritorious Service in the Army. He also served in Prairie City as mayor, long-time council member and school board member.

Survivors include his wife, Paulina Strong of John Day; sister, Shirley Van Auken of Colorado; daughters, Sue Ann Strong of McMinnville, Debbie Strong of Portland and Cynthia Harris of Prairie City; a son, Marc Strong of Prairie City; six grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a sister, Joyce Lyons; his son, Bobbie Strong; and his eldest daughter, Terry Strong.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Eastern Star Grand Chapter of Oregon Cancer Research or the Alzheimer’s Foundation, through Driskill Memorial Chapel, 241 S. Canyon Blvd, John Day, Oregon, 97845.