Vernon Brantley Strickland

Entered into eternal rest on the morning of March 28, 2011, Vernon Brantley Strickland, husband of Ann Way Strickland.  Residence, Charleston, SC.  The relatives and friends of Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Brantley Strickland are invited to attend the funeral services of the former in Westminster Presbyterian Church, Friday, April 1, 2011 at 11:00 am. Interment, Magnolia Cemetery. Friends may call at J. HENRY STUHR, INC., DOWNTOWN CHAPEL Thursday between 5:00 and 7:00 pm.

Mr. Strickland was born March 2, 1925, in Charleston, SC, the son of Brantley H. Strickland and Sarah McCants Strickland. He graduated from Charleston High School in June 1942, at which point he joined Hawthorne Aviation as a Lineman, working for the renowned aerobatic pilot, Beverly "Bevo" Howard. 

In February of 1943, Mr. Strickland joined the Naval Air Service and served in combat in the central and south Pacific.  Upon returning to Charleston in 1945, he married Ann Way of Dorchester, SC.  The following year he and Ann welcomed their son, William Terry Strickland, and, in 1949, he re-joined Hawthorne as a Flight Instructor.  Following a short tenure as a pilot for Interstate Equipment Company in Statesville, NC, Mr. Strickland returned to Hawthorne for good as their Flight Director. 

In 1953, Mr. and Mrs. Strickland gave birth to their daughter, Cynthia Ann Strickland and, in the same year he began to move up within Hawthorne, holding several positions including Piper Sales Manager, General Manager, Vice President and Director and finally, in January of 1971, being named President of Hawthorne Aviation and its subsidiaries.

Mr. Strickland was equally active in the community and held executive positions in several charitable and civic groups including:  President of SC Aviation Trades Area; President of Charleston Junior Achievement; Chairman of the Trident United Way Campaign in Charleston; appointed by Governor Jim Edwards to the State Ethics Commission; President of the Trident United Way; President of the Coastal Carolina Boy Scouts of America, who honored him with the "Distinguished Eagle Scout" award; President Charleston Trident Chamber of Commerce; Vice President of the South Carolina State Chamber of Commerce; Recipient of the "Service Above Self" award from the Charleston Rotary Club; Board member for both the North Trident Hospital and Baker Hospital and a member of The Exchange Club. He was also a member of the Country Club of Charleston and The Carolina Yacht Club.

He was a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church and served in the United States Navy during World War II.

He is survived by his wife of Charleston, SC; one son: William Terry Strickland and his wife Nancy of Hollywood, SC; one daughter: Cynthia S. Harton of Wadmalaw Island, SC; six grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Trident United Way, 6296 Rivers Avenue, North Charleston, SC 29406 or to The Coastal Carolina Council Boy Scouts of America, 1025 Sam Rittenberg Blvd., Charleston, SC 29407-3314.