Cleason Emory Stricklin, born Dec. 19, 1942 to Synthia Dakota Kilgo Stricklin and Lawrence Winfield Stricklin, passed to his heavenly reward Sep. 29, 2023. Cleason was born while his father was in basic training shortly after the beginning of WWII. Cleason, born with a cleft palate, was a fighter from birth. He underwent several operations in Birmingham to repair his birth defect.
Due to his severe situation his father was allowed to leave training to briefly visit with him. Sadly Lt. Lawrence Stricklin was killed in battle on April 18, 1945 just a few miles from Berlin and only a few months before the end of the war. Mr. Stricklin was also predeceased by his granddaughter, Lisa Kicklighter. Synthia married Arthur Charles Brock, whom she had previously dated, on Nov. 8, 1946. Arthur became Cleason’s second father and treated Cleason as if he were his own son. Arthur served during WWII in the Army and later transferred to the Air Force. Arthur left the military after the war and the family farmed for a short while. Arthur was called back into the Air Force during the Korean War.
Cleason started school in Shreveport La. where Arthur was training. Cleason was a very bright, inquisitive, self-motivated, student and did well everywhere their military family went. Cleason attended Logan Jr. High and West Point High School before graduating from Herschel V Jenkins High School in Savannah Ga. At 6 feet 3 inches Cleason was a gifted athlete who excelled at basketball and especially baseball. He played JV basketball and baseball for Jenkins High and at only 15 years of age tried out for the Savannah Pirates baseball team. The Pirates offered to sign him when he turned 16.
Sadly, he suffered knee injuries that required surgery and ended his dreams of playing major league baseball. He attended Auburn University briefly before landing a job with the Seaboard Coastline Railroad where he worked for the next 30 years. He married Velma Bland Kicklighter a single mother with three children. He also fathered a son, Charles Lawrence Stricklin. Cleason worked very hard to support his family. He worked the night shift with the railroad and a day job as an engineer with the City of Savannah.
Cleason was involved in the Railroad Union and held several leadership positions. He was an outdoorsman and enjoyed saltwater fishing, hunting, and was an avid metal detector. He especially like learning about the Civil War battles fought in the Savannah area. He studied their locations and using his metal detector gathered a large collection of Civil War artifacts, many of which he donated to local museums. After his wife Velma died, he married Patricia Ann Harley who also worked for the railroad. They were married 26 years until her recent death. Cleason was a kind and generous soul who loved people and made friends easily. He will be missed by all who knew him.
He is survived by his son, Charles Lawrence Stricklin; his wife Janice; daughter, Debra Kicklighter; sons, James Kicklighter, Steven Kicklighter and his wife Mary; brothers, Durwin Brock and wife Pam, Darrell Brock and wife Charlotte; grandchildren, Sharon Stricklin, Jeremy Stricklin and wife Cole, and Katy Stricklin; great-grandchildren, Aiden Hearn, Oliver Hearn, Jude Stricklin, Myles Stricklin, and Jordan Hicks.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.mossservicefh.com for the Stricklin family. The graveside service for Cleason Emory Stricklin will be at Shady Grove Cemetery, Saturday Oct. 7, 2023 at 11 a.m.
