Douglas 'Cal' Stratton, 68, of North Platte, NE, passed away at the VA Medical Center in Omaha, NE, following his battle with cancer on Wednesday, November 26, 2014.
He was born Douglas Wayne on October 18, 1946, to Henry Edward and Beulah Bell Bartow Stratton at Scottsbluff, NE. He grew up in Gering, NE where he was known as Doug and attended school. He also worked on the Elredge Ranch at Lakeside, NE.
Doug served in the Nebraska Army National Guard before he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in March 1968. He served as a "River Rat" on a Navy patrol boat traveling the dangerous rivers of Vietnam and received several medals. Following his discharge from active duty in 1970, he returned to Nebraska and worked as a cowboy in Dunlap and established Al-Anon and Alateen in Chadron.
Doug later moved to Kentucky then to Vacaville, CA where he lived for 20 years. While in California he was a car salesman and picked up the name, Cal. He then moved to North Platte in 1999 where he sold cars for Bob Spady Buick GMC for 15 years and had the privilege of driving the car for Miss Nebraska.
Cal was a proud American and took pride in helping veterans. He was a life member and Post Commander of the V.F.W. Post #1504, Quartermaster for the V.F.W., and a member of the Stapleton American Legion, Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and Military Order of the Cooties.
Cal was also Nebraska's representative on the annual Tomb Trek where he and other members of the Cooties delivered wreaths to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. He spoke at and helped organize Veteran's Day and Memorial Day services in and around North Platte, helped organize a road rally across the state in honor of American servicemen and women, participated in bringing the traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall to North Platte and supported the Port to Plain Memorial.
Survivors include his special friend and caregiver, Gloria Blakely, of North Platte; a daughter, Shauna Shimmin, of Missouri; four granddaughters, Amber Jones, Casey Fertig and Shannon and Jesse Shimmin; great-grandchildren, Gracelynn Haneline and Baillie and Bentley Jones; his sisters and stepsisters, Roberta (Clyde) Baird and Vonnie (Mike) Cotant, all of Gering, NE, Virginia and Sharon, of Vacaville, CA, Kathy Lang and Rose Baker, of Bremerton, WA, and Joan Hall, of Washington state; several nieces and nephews and great-nieces and nephews; and other family.
Cal is also survived by his many friends which include Kevin Kennedy and Mark Saner, of North Platte; and all the folks at Bob Spady Buick GMC and the V.F.W. Post #1504.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Beulah; stepfathers, Raymond Terrell and Claude Hall; a brother, Kenneth Stratton; niece, Mary Ann Cotant; nephew, Kevin Stratton; and stepbrother, Don Hall.
Funeral service will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, December 2, 2014, at the Bethel Evangelical Free Church with Pastor Brett Terry officiating. Burial with military honors will be 1 p.m. (MT) Wednesday in the Nebraska Veterans Cemetery in Alliance, NE.
Visitation will be 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore. Condolences may also be shared at odeanchapel.com.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the V.F.W. Post #1504. Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore is in charge of arrangements
Larry Joseph Richards
He was born Douglas Wayne on October 18, 1946, to Henry Edward and Beulah Bell Bartow Stratton at Scottsbluff, NE. He grew up in Gering, NE where he was known as Doug and attended school. He also worked on the Elredge Ranch at Lakeside, NE.
Doug served in the Nebraska Army National Guard before he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in March 1968. He served as a "River Rat" on a Navy patrol boat traveling the dangerous rivers of Vietnam and received several medals. Following his discharge from active duty in 1970, he returned to Nebraska and worked as a cowboy in Dunlap and established Al-Anon and Alateen in Chadron.
Doug later moved to Kentucky then to Vacaville, CA where he lived for 20 years. While in California he was a car salesman and picked up the name, Cal. He then moved to North Platte in 1999 where he sold cars for Bob Spady Buick GMC for 15 years and had the privilege of driving the car for Miss Nebraska.
Cal was a proud American and took pride in helping veterans. He was a life member and Post Commander of the V.F.W. Post #1504, Quartermaster for the V.F.W., and a member of the Stapleton American Legion, Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and Military Order of the Cooties.
Cal was also Nebraska's representative on the annual Tomb Trek where he and other members of the Cooties delivered wreaths to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. He spoke at and helped organize Veteran's Day and Memorial Day services in and around North Platte, helped organize a road rally across the state in honor of American servicemen and women, participated in bringing the traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall to North Platte and supported the Port to Plain Memorial.
Survivors include his special friend and caregiver, Gloria Blakely, of North Platte; a daughter, Shauna Shimmin, of Missouri; four granddaughters, Amber Jones, Casey Fertig and Shannon and Jesse Shimmin; great-grandchildren, Gracelynn Haneline and Baillie and Bentley Jones; his sisters and stepsisters, Roberta (Clyde) Baird and Vonnie (Mike) Cotant, all of Gering, NE, Virginia and Sharon, of Vacaville, CA, Kathy Lang and Rose Baker, of Bremerton, WA, and Joan Hall, of Washington state; several nieces and nephews and great-nieces and nephews; and other family.
Cal is also survived by his many friends which include Kevin Kennedy and Mark Saner, of North Platte; and all the folks at Bob Spady Buick GMC and the V.F.W. Post #1504.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Beulah; stepfathers, Raymond Terrell and Claude Hall; a brother, Kenneth Stratton; niece, Mary Ann Cotant; nephew, Kevin Stratton; and stepbrother, Don Hall.
Funeral service will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, December 2, 2014, at the Bethel Evangelical Free Church with Pastor Brett Terry officiating. Burial with military honors will be 1 p.m. (MT) Wednesday in the Nebraska Veterans Cemetery in Alliance, NE.
Visitation will be 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore. Condolences may also be shared at odeanchapel.com.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the V.F.W. Post #1504. Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore is in charge of arrangements