Gayle Strickland

Born October 6, 1931 in Napoleonville, LA and died in his home on October 13, 2012. Gayle was the son of Roy Lee Strickland and Rose Boudreaux Strickland. The family moved to his fathers hometown of Centreville, MS when Gayle was an infant, where he grew up. He received a Bachelor of Science degree at Mississippi Southern, and a Master of Science at Tulane. He was employed as a research chemist at Ethyl Corporation and Georgia Gulf. Gayle was passionate about his hobbies, from telescope making to teaching tennis. Intensely knowledgeable about nature, he taught LSU Leisure Classes on birding, did surveys of the butterflies and more recently the dragonflies of Louisiana. He was an accomplished photographer, with many of his photos appearing in published field guides. Hundreds of his insect and spider images appear on the website BugGuide.net. Gayle was a lifelong student of human behavior, and was fascinated by the theories of Julian Jaynes. Gayle loved to share his passions and was an excellent teacher. He was never bored. He is survived by his wife, Jeanell daughters and sonsinlaws, Laurie and Tom Huard of Haymarket, VA, Susan and David Jensen of Baton Rouge son and daughterinlaw, Alan and Susan Strickland of Chesapeake, VA brother and sisterinlaw, Roy and Dorothy Strickland of Ferriday, LA grandchildren, Amanda Bruce Parker and Daniel Bruce, and Ingrid Jensen and niece, Sheridan Strickland. Preceded in death by his parents and his nephew, Robert Joseph Strickland. The family would like to extend heartfelt thanks to his excellent doctors throughout the years, including Dr. David Hanson and his staff at LA Hematology Oncology Associates, and to the fine staff of St. Joseph Hospice, especially Penny Perkins and Kathy Haynes. Family and friends will gather to celebrate Gayles life at a later date. Expressions of sympathy may be sent as donations to John James Audubon Foundation, P.O. Box 1002, Gloster MS 39638 or St. Joseph Hospice of Baton Rouge.