Allan Strickland

Allan Elmer Strickland, 74, of Great Falls, a retired veteran of the United States Air Force and business owner, died on Thursday, July 5, 2012 of natural causes at a local hospital.A vigil will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 8, 2012 at St. Josephs Chapel.A funeral liturgy will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, July 9, 2012 at St. Josephs Chapel.Cremation has taken place.Schnider Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.Allan Elmer Strickland was born on January 31, 1938 in Fairfield, Maine to Elwyn J. and Ida (Horan) Strickland.He married SueAnn C. Strickland in 1963 in Coeur dAlene, Idaho.Allan joined the United States Air Force in 1957 and transferred to Malmstrom AFB, Great Falls, in 1962 with the Missile Maintenance Squad, where he participated in installing the Ace in the Hole, the first missile to be placed in Montana.Later he received a letter of commendation from President John F. Kennedy thanking him for his service.He was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for missile work during the Cuban crisis.He left the Air Force in 1968 and opened the Holiday Car Wash.He also managed the Motel Central for 17 years.He joined the Montana Air National Guard and completed 12 more years of service.During that time he participated in the Red Flag Exercise when they won the USAF Hughes Trophy. In 1991, he received a heart transplant from a generous donor family, which gave him the gift of life for 20 more years.This gift enabled him to do daycare for his granddaughter, Theresa, who was the delight of his heart for 11 years.He participated in the U.S. Transplant Games in Salt Lake City, Atlanta, and Ohio and the World Transplant Games in Sydney, Australia, winning medals in cycling, race walking and the long jump. He continued in competitive cycling for several years.He was a member of the Great Falls Saddle Club, Great Falls Snowmobile Club, Toy Club, Altered Classics Auto Club, Skunk Wagon Antique Card Club, and the Great Falls Archery Club.He was the past President of the Great Falls Trap Club, Mended Hearts Organization and the American Heart Association (Montana Affiliate).He was a 4th Degree Knights of Columbus, where he was head cook for the fish fries.He was a long-time member of Big Sky Cum Cristo and St. Josephs Parish and enjoyed cooking their fall dinner.He showed ponies for 39 years at the Montana State Fair. He also showed walking horses and ponies on the Montana State and Intermountain Horse Show circuits.He enjoyed driving his antique Studebaker cars.Allan is survived by his wife, SueAnn C. (Kuglin) Strickland of Great Falls; his daughter, Willow (Mark) Voeller of Great Falls; his son, Steve Strickland of Great Falls; sisters Patricia Fowler of Waterville, Maine and Debra (William) Wheeler of Grey Hawk, Kentucky; a brother, Richard (Sharon) Strickland of Southington, Connecticut; and a granddaughter, Theresa.