LTC Johnnie R. Strickland, AUS, (RET) of Cullman, AL Passed away Monday, November 17, 2025 at the age of 95. Funeral Service will be at 11 a.m. on Friday, November 21, 2025, at Cullman Heritage Funeral Home with Bro. Dudley Brock officiating; burial at Hopewell Baptist Cemetery, Hanceville, AL. Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. on Friday, November 21, 2025 at Cullman Heritage Funeral Home.
Cullman Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of the Arrangements.
He was born as the third child of Newborn H. Strickland and Mary Ann Hallman Strickland of Tuscaloosa, AL on May 8, 1930. He was preceded in death by his wife of sixty six years, Patricia Ann Brooks Strickland; grandson John Connor Strickland; brothers, William D. Strickland of Cullman, AL and George Walter Strickland of North Port, AL; niece Angela Kay Strickland Lockhart of Tuscaloosa, AL.
Left to cherish his memory are son, John Wayne Strickland (Jill) of Cullman, AL; daughter Mary Ann Strickland Veal (David) of Hoover, AL; grandchildren, Audrey (Blaine) Gato of Hanceville, AL, Annelyn (Roman) Verciglio of Hoover, AL and Evan Veal of Hoover, AL; great grandchild, John Sebastian Gato of Hanceville, AL; nieces Charmion Rae Strickland Potts of Moody, AL, Windy Dawn Strickland of Northport, AL; nephews, Rudea Dow Strickland (Iryna) of Cullman, AL and Scotty Strickland of Northport, AL.
Both the Christian Church and the military have always been a large part of LTC Strickland’s time and life. He made his profession of faith as a Christian after listening to a hell-fire and damnation sermon in late April 1948. It was just a few days shy of his eighteenth birthday. He often humorously referred to that sermon as the sermon that scared the hell out of him. Also, he often expressed gratitude to the unnamed minister who had the courage to preach that particular sermon at that particular time. It caused him to seriously examine his relationship with the Lord. That cardinal event was the beginning of (length of life as a 77 year Christian) years of varied Christian service. He joined a small rural Methodist Church that was less than a half-miler from his fathers farm in rural Tuscaloosa county. He spent eight years as a member of that church. Four of those eight years were spent in the U.S. Navy. All of his U.S. Navy time was enlisted service. Also all of those four years was during the Korean War (July 1950-July 1954).
His job in the Navy was that of an Engine man. As such he always serviced on small diesel powered vessels, These type ships did not have chaplains or divine services like the larger ships. Also they spent most of their time at the sea and thus going to church was an impossibility. However, he knew the Christian life should be dynamic rather than static and thus a Christian should always be grooming in the faith.
(II Timothy 2:15; II Peter 3:18).
As a result of his job and assignment in the navy he took up scripture memorization as a way to grow in the Christian faith. He didn’t realize it at the time but the Lord was preparing him for his next assignment in Sasebo, Japan.
Sexual temptation was very strong at all U.S. Naval bases in Japan during the post-World War II. But the Holy Spirit was even stronger. When tempted to sin the Holy Spirit was always faithful to remind a Christian of the wages of sin. All true Christians learned the truth of the saying; “God’s work will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from God’s word.
After his four years of naval service he met and married the love of his life, Patricia Ann Brooks Strickland, it was a wonderful marriage that lasted over sixty six years of earthly life but will last for all eternity. In their lifetime they were blessed with two wonderful children and four grandchildren. She wonderfully and faithfully served the Lord and His church for all of those almost sixty seven years. The Lord took her home on the 22nd of April 2023. At age 93 his service for the Lord is limited but he looks forward to the day when he joins her in heaven for all eternity. Until that day he lived at his home at 2609 County Road 616, Hanceville, AL.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make donations to Kairos Ministries or the John Connor Strickland Memorial Scholarship at Wallace State Community College.
