In Loving Memory Of... John “Jack” Walter Strickler 1926 – 2015

Better known as “Jack,” John Walter Strickler was highly esteemed in his native San Bernardino. Before he rose to prominence as a significant force in the real estate business, Strickler, born in 1926, attended local schools including Arrowview Junior High and San Bernardino High School, where he graduated in 1944. Like most of his classmates, Jack entered the service during WWII, becoming a Machinist’s Mate and serving as an aircraft mechanic in the Navy, stationed in Hawaii. When he returned home, Jack graduated from San Bernardino Valley College and married Lila Shaw in June 1948. The couple was married for 66 years. Jack worked in the land title business with several companies before entering the real estate sales business in 1963. Four years later, Jack opened his own office. Throughout the years, Jack also continued to give back to his community in more ways than one, particularly in his community service and leadership roles. In 1976, Jack was elected president of the San Bernardino County Board of Realtors. In 1979, Strickler led his city in another way, when he was elected to represent San Bernardino’s seventh ward as a city councilman. He was re-elected to a second term in 1983 before he retired from the council in 1987, not seeking a third term. In 1989, Jack began his work on a 50-unit senior citizen apartment project that was sponsored by the nonprofit Highland Lutheran Senior Housing. The project was completed in 1994, and Jack and Lila served as resident managers until August 2013. Jack was preceded in death by his wife, Lila. He is survived by three children, John (and Cathi) Strickler, Ann (and Steve) Croudy and Judy (and Terry) Albert; 14 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; and two great-great grandchildren. Funeral services were held Jan. 24 at Spirit of Hope Church in San Bernardino. He was laid to rest at Mt. View Cemetery. Memorial may be left to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, www.jdrf.org.