He was the oldest of three children of Dr. Eldredge Wayne Stratford Sr. and Gladys Estella Wright Stratford.
Dr. Stratford was born in Portland at the Wilcox Memorial Hospital and delivered by his father physician and surgeon Dr. Eldredge Wayne Stratford. October 15, 1935.
He attended Ainsworth Grade School and was chosen to be a Prince in the Junior Rose Festival Court. He attended Beaverton Grade School, Washington High School and graduated from East High School in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Dr. Stratford was a member and Elder in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
He went to Oregon State University where he was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. He also attended USC in Los Angeles, California and UC Berkley.
He received the highest score in the United States on the 3 day entrance exam given in 1959 to the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in San Francisco, California.
He graduated in 1963 and practiced dentistry in San Francisco and in Portland, Oregon for 50 years until he was 80 years old.
He had great respect and love for his professors and instructors who inspired him to greatness and to do his best. Dr. Henry Sutro, Dr. Milton Silber and Dr. Mario de Stephanos, Dr. Leroy Cagnone.
His dental work was extraordinary and beautiful and was shown at Dental Conventions in the United States and Canada. Dr. Stratford loved dentistry and was known as the “Miracle Worker” by his patients. He would go to any effort to do excellent work for them. The Mayor of Kodiak Alaska came back every year for Dr. Stratford to do her dental work, as did many others throughout the United States. His patients loved him and he loved them. He will be greatly missed.
Wayne was an avid fisherman and huntsman in Oregon, Montana, Washington, Alaska, Utah and California. He caught an 87.5 pound Alaskan King Salmon, breaking a record. He was a Park Ranger in the summer during his dental school years at Yosemite National Park. He loved Yosemite!
He belonged to the Olympic Club in San Francisco, the Portland Golf Club, the Multnomah Club and Waverley Country Club.
Wayne enjoyed the Pendleton Round-up which he had attended since childhood, and had season tickets.The Chief of the Umatilla Indian Tribe made Wayne his own bead pattern which meant a cross between a medicine man and chief. He presented him with a solid beaded vest of his own pattern.
Dr. Stratford was an Eagle Scout, loved oil painting, played the piano, was a gourmet chef, and had perfect penmanship. He received an appointment to West Point.
His great spirit, exceptional dentistry, his kindness and generous big-hearted nature will be missed and not forgotten. He is greatly loved. He is survived by two sisters, Gladys Suzanne Stratford Hammond of Provo, Utah and Jane Wright Stratford Clayson of Folsom, California.
Services will be held on Wednesday, November 7, 2018 at the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Raleigh Hills Ward, 6605 SW Garden Home Rd, Portland, OR 97223. Visitation at 10:00am, Funeral Service to follow at 11:00am. A Graveside Service will take place on November 7th at 2:00pm at Sunset Hills Memorial Park, 6801 SW Sunset Hwy Portland, OR 97225.
