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Barry Lynn Strickland, age 83 of Fort Payne, passed away on Friday, October 9, 2026. He was born on September 22, 1943, in Key West, Florida to Woodrow & Madeleine Strickland. He was a member of the Plumbers & Pipefitters Union Local 295 out of Daytona Beach, Florida, where he lived and worked. His career took him all over the Eastern US. He moved to Sylvania, Alabama in the late 1970s to work as a pipefitting foreman at the Bellefonte Nuclear Power Plant in Scottsboro. In another job, he was appointed as a Kentucky Colonel by the state governor for spotting an error in pipe alignment before catastrophic failure, saving the state millions of dollars. At the peak of his career, he moved back to Florida to supervise the construction of specialized high-pressure and cryogenic piping systems of Cape Kennedy rocket launch pads. Mr. Strickland enjoyed many hobbies and served in organizing roles in several clubs. He was a “ham” amateur radio operator, call sign AB4QL, who taught and certified the training of many new ham operators. He was part of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service for DHS and FEMA, and worked in the immediate tornado relief efforts in 2011 when no other communications could get through to remote areas on Sand Mountain. He coordinated rescue, medical, and family contact efforts. An active member of the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association, he was known for his humorous stories around the post-event campfires and for his many national titles in rifle and pistol competition shooting events. More recently, he participated in competitions with the North-South Skirmish Association’s 4th Louisiana Delta Rifles. He was also an accomplished gunsmith, creating dozens of muzzle loading rifles and pistols for the black powder community. His artistic and woodworking skills were evident in the furniture he designed, built and sold in his Woodmasters store in Fort Payne. He was a prominent member of the Dekalb County RC Flyers, and participated in the fly-in events Fort Payne.
Barry Lynn Strickland, age 83 of Fort Payne, passed away on Friday, October 9, 2026. He was born on September 22, 1943, in Key West, Florida to Woodrow & Madeleine Strickland. He was a member of the Plumbers & Pipefitters Union Local 295 out of Daytona Beach, Florida, where he lived and worked. His career took him all over the Eastern US. He moved to Sylvania, Alabama in the late 1970s to work as a pipefitting foreman at the Bellefonte Nuclear Power Plant in Scottsboro. In another job, he was appointed as a Kentucky Colonel by the state governor for spotting an error in pipe alignment before catastrophic failure, saving the state millions of dollars. At the peak of his career, he moved back to Florida to supervise the construction of specialized high-pressure and cryogenic piping systems of Cape Kennedy rocket launch pads. Mr. Strickland enjoyed many hobbies and served in organizing roles in several clubs. He was a “ham” amateur radio operator, call sign AB4QL, who taught and certified the training of many new ham operators. He was part of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service for DHS and FEMA, and worked in the immediate tornado relief efforts in 2011 when no other communications could get through to remote areas on Sand Mountain. He coordinated rescue, medical, and family contact efforts. An active member of the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association, he was known for his humorous stories around the post-event campfires and for his many national titles in rifle and pistol competition shooting events. More recently, he participated in competitions with the North-South Skirmish Association’s 4th Louisiana Delta Rifles. He was also an accomplished gunsmith, creating dozens of muzzle loading rifles and pistols for the black powder community. His artistic and woodworking skills were evident in the furniture he designed, built and sold in his Woodmasters store in Fort Payne. He was a prominent member of the Dekalb County RC Flyers, and participated in the fly-in events Fort Payne.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Carol Strickland; daughters Diana Strickland and Lana Strickland; grandchildren Ivy Wood, Holly Izaguirre, Zephyranthes Valek, Rose Izaguirre, Calliandra Blue Strickland, Liam Barry Strickland; and great-grandchild Lee Washum.
A celebration of life will be announced in the coming months.
