Richard (Jack) Dee Stroade

Richard (Jack) Dee Stroade passed away peacefully on November 21, 2021 in his home in Manhattan, Kansas. He was born on the family farm near Longford, Kansas on October 9, 1930. His parents were Nina Lake Stroade and Arthur Stroade. He graduated from Longford Rural High School with the class of 1948. In high school he was active in sports, music and vocational agriculture, and was elected the president of the first FFA chapter after World War II.

After high school he attended Kansas State University eventually receiving a BS and MS in Agricultural Economics.

In July 1951, he entered the US Army during the Korean War. He spent almost two years in Japan as a combat medic, serving part of that time as a Chaplin Assistant. After being released from active duty, he spent six years in the Army Reserves.

In 1959, he began work with the Kansas State Extension Service. He served as County Agricultural Extension Agent in Central and Western Kansas and was actively involved with the 4-H program for nearly 20 years.

His life was encompassed by love for education and agriculture as evidenced by other jobs he held throughout his life. These jobs included: teaching elementary school in Clay County; working as a Farm Management Specialist for the University of Missouri; teaching at Labette Community College; inspecting wheat for the Kansas Crop Improvement Association; raising hogs on his farm near Pretty Prairie (where he learned that hogs are much smarter than people think); and substitute teaching in the Manhattan area.

The family moved to Manhattan in 2001 where he became active in the Blue Hills Gideons and served as Church Relations Chairman for several years. For 20 years he played the keyboard for the Flint Hills Oldtimers band. He was an active member of Trinity Presbyterian Church.

On March 12, 1976 he was united in marriage with Marsha Beard of Minneola, Kansas. She survives of the home. He is also survived by five daughters: Christine Polak and spouse Loren of Ballwin, Missouri; Laurie Brotherton and spouse Allen of Springfield, Missouri; Nina Stroade of Tampa, Florida; Jeri Stroade of Mobile, Alabama; Kim Suderman of Manhattan, Kansas; and one son, Steve Stroade and spouse Danny of Kansas City, Missouri; four granddaughters, eight grandsons, and 20 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother Glen Stroade, and two sisters, Marie Blake and Ava McVey. He was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and a member of the American Legion. He enjoyed writing poetry and short stories from his life. He wrote and published one book, Poems From the Prairie.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday November 30, 2021 at the Trinity Presbyterian Church, 1110 College Avenue in Manhattan. Interment will be held at 2:00 p.m. at the Athelstane Cemetery in Clay County, Kansas.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Manhattan/Ogden Public Schools Foundation or the Good Shepherd Hospice and Homecare. Contributions may be left in care of the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, Kansas 66502.   passed away peacefully on November 21, 2021 in his home in Manhattan, Kansas. He was born on the family farm near Longford, Kansas on October 9, 1930. His parents were Nina Lake Stroade and Arthur Stroade. He graduated from Longford Rural High School with the class of 1948. In high school he was active in sports, music and vocational agriculture, and was elected the president of the first FFA chapter after World War II.

After high school he attended Kansas State University eventually receiving a BS and MS in Agricultural Economics.

In July 1951, he entered the US Army during the Korean War. He spent almost two years in Japan as a combat medic, serving part of that time as a Chaplin Assistant. After being released from active duty, he spent six years in the Army Reserves.

In 1959, he began work with the Kansas State Extension Service. He served as County Agricultural Extension Agent in Central and Western Kansas and was actively involved with the 4-H program for nearly 20 years.

His life was encompassed by love for education and agriculture as evidenced by other jobs he held throughout his life. These jobs included: teaching elementary school in Clay County; working as a Farm Management Specialist for the University of Missouri; teaching at Labette Community College; inspecting wheat for the Kansas Crop Improvement Association; raising hogs on his farm near Pretty Prairie (where he learned that hogs are much smarter than people think); and substitute teaching in the Manhattan area.

The family moved to Manhattan in 2001 where he became active in the Blue Hills Gideons and served as Church Relations Chairman for several years. For 20 years he played the keyboard for the Flint Hills Oldtimers band. He was an active member of Trinity Presbyterian Church.

On March 12, 1976 he was united in marriage with Marsha Beard of Minneola, Kansas. She survives of the home. He is also survived by five daughters: Christine Polak and spouse Loren of Ballwin, Missouri; Laurie Brotherton and spouse Allen of Springfield, Missouri; Nina Stroade of Tampa, Florida; Jeri Stroade of Mobile, Alabama; Kim Suderman of Manhattan, Kansas; and one son, Steve Stroade and spouse Danny of Kansas City, Missouri; four granddaughters, eight grandsons, and 20 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother Glen Stroade, and two sisters, Marie Blake and Ava McVey. He was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and a member of the American Legion. He enjoyed writing poetry and short stories from his life. He wrote and published one book, Poems From the Prairie.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday November 30, 2021 at the Trinity Presbyterian Church, 1110 College Avenue in Manhattan. Interment will be held at 2:00 p.m. at the Athelstane Cemetery in Clay County, Kansas.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Manhattan/Ogden Public Schools Foundation or the Good Shepherd Hospice and Homecare. Contributions may be left in care of the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, Kansas 66502.