Obituary of Marilyn Minor Strickland

Marilyn "Lyn" Minor Strickland, 81, died peacefully on Sunday, April 21, 2013 after an extended illness, surrounded by the love of family and friends. A memorial service in the manner of Friends will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, April 26, 2013 at New Garden Friends Meeting, located at 801 New Garden Road in Greensboro, NC. A native of Greene County, PA, Lyn devoted her life to her family and to the growth and care of others. In addition to helping raise a strong and talented family, over the years Lyn served others as an occupational therapist, teacher, youth counselor, personal therapist, and friend. Her lifelong spiritual quest included active study of and participation in a number of religious communities, from each of which she drew philosophical inspiration and personal insight. Lyn loved the beauty of this world and contributed her part as a constant gardener, enthusiastic choral singer, amateur pianist, occasional painter, and supporter of the performing arts. She sought out and nurtured the special gifts of others that would come to enrich their own lives and their communities. Lyn was a defender of social justice, independent thought, and the health of the natural environment. Her legacy will be sustained through the lives of the people she touched, the gardens she planted, and the programs she supported to promote equality, creativity, and human development. Lyn is survived by her four children and their families, including Kay and spouse Tom Delehanty (Wilkes-Barre, PA), Richard (Alexandria, VA), Brad and partner Roberto Rodriguez (Alexandria, VA), and David and spouse Amy Fradley (Victor, ID); her two grandchildren Caitlin Delehanty (Arlington, VA) and Ian Delehanty (Princeton, NJ); her mother Kerma Bradford Minor Hoge Nordyke (Pittsburgh, PA, born 1905); and her four siblings including Robert Minor (Mullica Hill, NJ), Helen Ashley (Ephrata, PA), Donna Carroll (Pittsburgh, PA), and John Minor (Wichita, KS), and their families. In lieu of flowers, contributions are encouraged to Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro, 2500 Summit Ave. Greensboro, N 2740, the Natural Resources Defense Council, NRDC, 40 W. 20th St., NY, NY 10011 or the local chapter of Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, PO Box 4153, Greensboro, NC 27404.