Laurence Charles Stratton

Laurence Charles Stratton

May 6, 1928 ~ Nov. 8, 2019

Laurence Charles Stratton, 91, of Prineville, passed away on Nov. 8, 2019, in the comfort of his home. No service is scheduled. A spring memorial for Larry will be announced.

Larry was born May 6, 1928, in Bend, Oregon, son of Frank and Vivian Stratton. The elder Strattons were from Fort Rock homesteading families. Larry went to Bend High until his parents moved to Prineville during his senior year. Always a good student — interested particularly in math and science — Larry finished his senior year early in order to enlist in the service and proceed to college.

In early 1946, Larry joined the United States Army. He trained as a radio repairman in a program that committed enlistees to 18 months of service. Larry was honorably discharged in late 1947.

Larry set his sights on a civil engineering degree and began studies at the New Mexico School of Mines.  e studied there until 1950, when he returned to Prineville and began logging. 

In 1951, Larry married Kathleen Ann O’Kelley from Prineville. At the same time their firstborn child was born in 1952, Larry transitioned from logging to the Oregon State Highway Department, where he worked on different survey crews. During that time, Kathleen worked as a stay-at-home Mom. Three additional children were added to the family roster between 1955 and 1960.

By 1960 Larry had opened his own surveying and engineering company, but an interest in working in Alaska caught his attention. So in 1963, the family moved to Sitka, Alaska, where Larry had secured a job as city engineer. By now there were five Stratton kids, ages 10 months to 12 years old. Larry and Kathleen lived in Alaska for 15 years before returning to Oregon. Larry worked for the Corps of Engineers until 1990 but did not stop working as a contractor until he was 77 years old.

Larry relished a mixture of indoor/outdoor activities: Hiking — as long as he could; shooting — as long as his eyesight held; photography; mathematics; computer science. Up until 91 he was a member of PAC. He was also fond of a weekly men’s meeting whose members mourn his loss.

Larry is survived by his wife of 69 years, Kathleen; sons, Fred and Malcolm; daughters, Kim, Josie and Jenie; granddaughters, Lydia, Mary, Nicole and Laura; great-grandchildren, Brock, Maddie, Paisley, Lydia, Harper and Ray.

Larry was preceded in death by parents, Frank and Vivian Stratton; sister, Jean Stratton Flegel; granddaughters, Kendra Forster and Heather Andersen. 

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