Chris L Stratford

     Christopher Lionel Barkly Stratford was born in 1940 on the Isle of Man. He spent his early childhood there with his Nana Eva and Grandy George. He adored them both. He often said that they spoiled him rotten and it was wonderful.  When Chris was about 10, he joined his mother and her new husband, and two new siblings in England.  He met his future wife, Mavis Castle at a Jazz club in England.  They married and had three children.  After seeing a small ad in the newspaper for Aeronautical Engineers at Boeing in Seattle, Chris and his family set off for quite an adventure.  He thought he would stay a few years in America then return home.  The USA soon became his home and although he went back to visit many times, he never went back to England to live.

     He later met Jacquelynn Brown and they were married and had 3 children together.  They spent most of their time together in Jamestown, North Dakota where they raised their blended family.  They were married for 39 years.

     Chris had a distinguished career in Engineering, Marketing, and Consulting and was highly respected and liked by his peers.  He made many contributions in the areas of aircraft structures and cargo systems for both general aviation and commercial aircraft such as the Boeing 747 and McDonald Douglas MD-11.  He was very knowledgeable in the areas of structural fatigue and damage tolerance and spent the later part of his career as a structural DER/AR (authorized representative for the FAA) for the companies he worked for and on his own as a consultant.  He thoroughly enjoyed his career.  His knowledge and involvement in aviation overall was impressive and his contributions have made flying safer and more enjoyable.

     Chris was always grateful for the early education that he received in England and his British blood was strong.  He played football when he was younger (Americans call it soccer), then golf as he got a bit older.  He remained dedicated to Public Television and loved to catch a good episode of Masterpiece Theater, British comedies and other specials, and was quite dedicated to watching the PBS news hour most evenings.   He loved an authentic plate of fish and chips and a get together with the boys at a good British pub (or the Elks or somewhere else if a pub was not to be found).  He eventually became a big fan of American Football and loved to watch both college and professional teams play. 

     Chris was profoundly grateful to the United States for the opportunities presented to him over his lifetime.  He was a passionate environmentalist and avid reader who devoured historical novels.  He also enjoyed time spent gathered chatting and having a laugh with his children and family.  He had a great sense of humor, was very social, always said what he thought, and had a big personality with a laugh to match.  He died on Saturday, March 13, 2021, after a short terminal illness. 

     He is survived by his brother Steven, sister Michelle Aylard, and his children Elizabeth (Gary) Long, his son Nicholas Stratford, his daughter Cassie Stratford, his son Eric (Jessica) Stratford, his stepson Jeff (Sarah) Gould, his stepdaughter Tessa Gould, his mother-in-law Mirt Brown, sisters-in-law Jill (Richard) Newark and Barbara Brown, and brother-in-law Richard Brown. He was a proud Grandfather to 6 grandchildren, Ryan and Laura Long, Andrew and Eric Stratford, and Jackson and Joseph Gould.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Barbara Carline and Eric Stratford, his wife Jacquelynn, and his daughters Elaine and Alicia.

     In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Elks Camp Grassick. www.elkscampgrassick.com

     A celebration of life service will be held at 10:00 AM, Friday, May 21, 2021 at Eddy Funeral Home.  A private interment will be held at Calvary Cemetery.

Eddy Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.  

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