Funeral service for Joy Rowe Strickland, 91, of Hartselle, who died Nov. 25, 2016, at Decatur Morgan Hospital, will be Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016 at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church Hartselle with Bro. David Askins officiating and Peck Funeral Home directing. Visitation will be from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the church. Burial will be in Hartselle City Cemetery.
Joy was born on May 24, 1925 and raised in Falkville, Alabama where she worked on the family farm. After graduation from Falkville High School, Joy attended Auburn University where she starred on the tennis team. Joy married Buck Strickland on April 19, 1946 after he returned from WWll. She worked as a housewife raising 4 children and supported her husband in his business as a pharmacist at Strickland Drugs. Joy was a member of First Baptist Church in Hartselle where she sang in the choir, taught children’s Sunday school, helped with Vacation Bible School and worked in the nursery. Joy loved to play and watch sports. She enjoyed tennis, softball, water skiing, bowling (300 game) and golf (Hole in One at Terri Pines Country Club). Bridge and Rook were her favorite pastime games. Her favorite teams were AUBURN and whatever teams her children and grandchildren played for. But, her real lifelong passion was fishing. She enjoyed taking all her children fishing and teaching all her grandchildren how to bait a hook. She loved her family dearly and everyone loved her. She was known for her fried okra, turkey and dressing at Thanksgiving, chocolate and coconut pies, and teaching her children, grandchildren and many friends to water ski.
Joy is survived by her devoted husband of 70 years, Buck Strickland. Her son Mike Strickland and his wife Debbie of Hartselle, and their four children; Rowe Marler, and her children Haden and Vay of Buhl, AL. Stacy Drake, her husband Brad, and their children Brantley and Jack; Ashley Wood, her husband Steve, and their children Carter and William; and Peyton Strickland all of Hartselle. Her daughter Jenny Cunningham and her husband Mike, and their four children; John Cunningham, his wife Morgan, and their children Victoria and Everett; Ranae Garner, her husband Kaleb, and their children Kinley, Zoey and Declan; Jeff Cunningham, his wife Jenna; and Brian Cunningham and his wife Anna, all of Tulsa, OK. Her daughter Susan McKee and her husband Steve of Hartselle and their two children; Case McKee, his wife Beverly and their daughter Carly of Vestavia, AL; and Kelly Meadows and her children Jace and Kate; and her son Joey all of Hartselle. She is also survived by her twin brother Joe Rowe; brother-in-law Tom Drinkard, both of Birmingham, AL. and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Special thanks to Aleshia Dobbins, Jan Holt, Sue Wales, Sandra Morgan and Carolyn Burns for their loving care and undivided attention to our Mom and family.
