Donald Nelson Stratton

Donald Nelson Stratton, 88, died Thursday, March 9, 2017 at his home in Alexandria. Born in Royal Oak, MI, he was the son of the late James Alvin and Marietta Nelson Stratton. In 1947, Mr. Stratton enlisted in the U.S. Army. Upon completing his enlistment, he returned to Morehead, Kentucky to attend college and married Edith Lou Hutchinson. Mr. Stratton volunteered again for the U.S. Army in 1951 to attend Officer Candidate School. In 1952, he was commissioned in the Army Corps of Engineers. In 1970, after 22 years of service, he retired after completing multiple tours overseas, including Germany, Korea, and Vietnam and assignments at serving at Forts Riley, Campbell, and Belvoir. His final assignment was as Commander, 1st Battalion, US Army Engineer School Brigade at Fort Belvoir, VA.

Mr. Stratton was then employed as a Realty Specialist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, retiring in 1991. In retirement, Mr. Stratton enjoyed family and friends, travel, Redskins football, his antique car, military history, stamp collecting, poker, chess and Ocean City in the summers. Don was a member of the George Washington National Masonic Lodge, Alexandria, and the Martha Washington Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star.

He was preceded in death by his first-born daughter, Donna (husband Bruce) Kendall, and brother, Kenneth Folk. Mr. Stratton is survived by his loving wife of nearly 68 years, Edith Lou Hutchinson Stratton; daughter Kim (husband Rich) Hodge of Fairfax Station, grandsons Aaron (wife Emily) Arnold of Jamaica Plain, MA; Nathan Hodge of San Antonio, TX, Grant Hodge of Fairfax, and Matt (wife Lauren) Hodge of Oxon Hill, MD; granddaughters Krista (husband Ray) Batz of NC; Lauren Arnold of Maui, Hawaii; great-grandchildren Jackson and Carter Batz, and Anna Pratt. He is also survived by his brothers Lance Mann of Tampa, Florida, and Larry Mann of Appomattox, Virginia, and sister, Maribeth Mann of Sitka, Kentucky.

Funeral services for Mr. Stratton will be held at 1:00pm, Sunday, March 19, 2017 at the Demaine Funeral Home, 5308 Backlick Rd, Springfield, VA 22151 with Pastor Donald A. Jamison of Sydenstricker United Methodist Church officiating. Interment will be in Arlington National Cemetery on a date to be announced. The family will receive friends at the Demaine Funeral Home after the service.

In lieu of flowers the family request donations in his memory to the Scleroderma Foundation, 300 Rosewood Drive, Suite 105, Danvers, MA 01923 or http://www.scleroderma.org

Arrangements under the direction of Demaine Funeral Home, Springfield, VA.