August 7, 1962 - February 10, 2018
Rank: ET3
Dates of Service: 1981 - 1987
Wallace Weldon “Wally” Strader, Jr. was born in Lynchburg, VA on August 7, 1962, the first child of Wallace Weldon Strader and Massaura Alice Griffith Strader. From his earliest days, he loved being outside, playing frequently in the woods behind the house. Growing up, he competed on football, baseball, and swimming teams, and enjoyed working on the family cars with his father.
In 1980, he graduated from Brookville High School in Lynchburg, where he earned a varsity letter managing the high school baseball team. After high school, even though he was offered a scholarship to Old Dominion University, he decided his best future lay in joining the US Navy, enlisted in 1981.
He served his country in the United States Navy from July 1981 to July 1987. After boot camp, he attended the Navy’s Nuclear Training school and the Air Force Cypher School. Following the attack on the US military in Beirut in 1983, he was assigned from Italy to a ship off the coast of Lebanon for three months decoding enemy transmissions. Later, he joined the USS Merrill on a WestPac tour. After completing his service in the Navy, he joined his family in Knightdale, NC.
While he continued to work part time as a mechanic, he completed his studies at Louisburg Community College in 1992. He was then accepted to NC State University, graduating with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1994.
He later accepted a job at the shipyard in Norfolk, VA using both his Navy and mechanical engineering backgrounds to perform refits and repairs to many types of Naval vessels. Again, while still working, he decided to pursue a master’s degree in Engineering Management from George Washington University. He completed these studies successfully in 2011.
Wally was known for having a quick wit, an amazing memory, and a big heart. He was always helping others repair their vehicles, or tractor, or any other mechanical device that needed help. He enjoyed cooking and wasn’t afraid to do the unconventional, freezing cucumbers not being one of his more successful ventures. His desire to be of service with the community and his church led to his becoming a deacon for several years.
Tragically, he died from complications after brain aneurism surgery in February, 2018. He was an amazing friend, a great brother, loving uncle, and devoted son.
