James Carroll Strawn

Strawn was President of the Archer City 1959 Senior Class. Both his father, J. C. "Speck" Strawn, and mother, Jean C. Strawn, served as Archer County Judge successively.

Strawn graduated from Texas Tech University in 1965. At Tech he was a member, officer, and national convention delegate of Sigma Alpha Epsilon social fraternity. Strawn was also a member of the Freshman Council, Interfraternity Council, Student Senate, and the US Navy Reserve Program.

Upon graduation, Strawn was commissioned as an Ensign at the US Navy Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island. He served two tours in Vietnam, first as Weapons and Mine Countermeasures Officer and later as Executive Officer on the USS Advance (MSO-510), homeported in Long Beach, California, and upon designation as a Naval Flight Officer at Naval Flight School, Pensacola, Florida, served as Operations Officer in Electronic Warfare Squadrons (VAQ-129) “Vikings”, and (VAQ-132) “Scorpions”, based in Whidbey Island, Washington. Strawn retired from the Naval Reserve in 1975 with the rank of Commander.

Following his completion of active naval service in 1970, Strawn joined M.W. Kellogg Company in New York City and assisted in that company’s relocation to Houston. Strawn subsequently served as a corporate officer at Houston-based Western Oceanic and Creole Production Services, where he traveled extensively internationally representing those companies in Africa, the Middle East, Europe, South America, and Indonesia.

Prior to forming HRC International in 1991, Strawn was the Vice President of investments for Merrill Lynch in Sugar Land, where he was recognized by selections to both the President’s Club and the Chairman’s Club.

He is survived by his wife and best friend Susan Strawn, son Chris, daughter Leanne, son-in-law Greg Blackburn, and grandchildren Alexander, Lindsey, and Allyson, two sisters Linda Gazaway and Vickie O’Neil, five nieces, cousins, many family members, and a grand dog “Shandy”

Strawn is remembered for his ready wit and for maintaining his "Best Dad and Grandfather in the World" duties. He was active in Navy and veterans’ causes, conservative politics, and “tinkering” with his classic Corvettes.