Evelyn A. Strickland

Evelyn Ann Dartnell Strickland was born in Newark, New Jersey on July 23rd, 1936, as the second daughter of Thomas and Louise Dartnell. She went to meet her Lord on 3/18/13 in the arms of her loving family. For the first 19 years of her life, Lynn, as she was always called, lived in Verona, NJ and enjoyed the benefits of a small town lifestyle with summers at the beach in Ocean Grove, NJ, and a stable school and home life. After high school she attended Skidmore College for two years in the nursing program, but decided to marry Bob on August 25, 1956, before she finished. For the next 22 years she followed Bob through 22 different assignments and 17 moves including tours in Alaska in 1964, where they drove up the Alcan Highway in a pickup-truck camper, and the Philippine Islands in 1967. Also during this time they had three wonderful children, Blaine, Tom and Jill. In addition to being a mother, Lynn spent many volunteer hours in on-base activities and in the base medical and dental clinics as a volunteer. She also served in many roles in the officer's wives groups, often chairing them at several bases. In her leisure hours she enjoyed tennis and golf and won several league and base championships over the years. After Bob retired from the USAF at the USAF Academy, CO, the family settled in St. Petersburg in 1977, and Lynn immediately involved herself in many community activities as well as a regular tennis program. She also found time to complete her college degree in the PEL program at Eckerd College. She was an Elder of the First Presbyterian Church, and participated in a number of Church activities from committee assignments to Meals on Wheels. For many years she, and husband Bob, voluntarily maintained the Memorial Garden at the Church. Probably her most rewarding volunteer effort was as a Docent for 20 years at the Museum of Fine Arts. During those years she spent considerable time learning the world of art and also developed as an artist herself. She regularly gave tours of the museum and served as Chairperson of the Senior Docents. She retired from the active Docent program in 2005. She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Bob, son Blaine and his wife, Eileen, and children Casey and Bobby, son Tom and his wife, Bonnie, and children Ashley and Tommy and his wife Kim, Jill Williams and husband, Andy Williams, and children Whitney and Drew, and Joan Stanley, her sister and husband John Stanley. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the First Presbyterian Church Memorial Garden Fund or Suncoast Hospice.