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Ellen McPherson Strapac

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It is with heavy heart that we report the passing of Ellen McPherson Strapac on July 26, 2022 from congestive heart failure. Ellen was born March 2, 1943 at Los Angeles County Hospital during a blackout toward the end of WWII. When she was four years old the family moved from California to Globe, Az. where Ellen attended East Globe grade school. When Hill Street School transitioned into a junior high school, Ellen as a member of the first 8th grade class became the first “Valentine Queen.” This designation/honor set the precedent for the student body to vote for the Valentine “royalty couple” for following classes thereafter. Ellen graduated from Globe High School Class of 1961. As a junior Ellen was a pompom girl. As a senior she was Senior Day Princess at the University of Arizona, head cheerleader, Homecoming Queen and a member of the National Honor Society. Ellen attended both the University of Arizona and Phoenix College.

In 1964 Ellen married the late George Aune and became the proud mother of Chris. Ellen was later married to James E. Dyer. In 1989 she met the love of her life, John Strapac. They were married in 1994 and have been happily married until Ellen’s passing.

Ellen had numerous employment positions including loan officer and bank manager’s secretary at Valley National Bank, legal secretary to Sidney M. Rosen in Phoenix, Az., branch manager secretary at Miami East Mine in Globe/Miami, Az., co-owner of San Man Ford/Mercury dealership in San Manuel, Az., and real estate agent at Long Realty in Tucson, Az.

Ellen loved playing tennis, golf, drawing, oil painting, and especially playing guitar and recording songs. She sang with bands in Tucson, Globe/Miami and Scottsdale. Ellen also loved interior decorating and designing landscaping for her homes. Toward that end Ellen redesigned the exterior landscaping of her favorite home in Tucson, where she and John resided for 27 years. During that time, John and Ellen travelled extensively to favorite places including the White Mountains of Greer, the scenic beauty of Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon and visits to her Globe family relatives. Together Ellen and John visited New York City, Boston and Cape Cod, Mass., Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, N.Y. John and Chris are USMA graduates, Classes 1966 and 1990 respectively. International travel included trips to Rome and Venice, Italy, Cancun, Mexico, Victoria, B.C., Canada, and Shanghai and Beijing, China; the highlights of that trip were walking the Great Wall of China, visiting Tiananmen Square, the Secret Garden and the Summer Palace.

In 2015 Ellen and John moved to Austin (Bee Cave), Texas to be close to her son Christian and his wife Claudia. Ellen is predeceased by her parents Harold and Grace McPherson, brother Larry McPherson and sister Karen McPherson Lawrence, niece Valerie Hereford, and brothers-in-law James Lawrence, John Hereford and Tom Strapac. She is survived by her husband John and her son Christian (Claudia) of Austin, Tx., sister Linda McPherson Hereford of Globe, Az., stepdaughters Elisabeth Strapac Byers (Phil Bacci) of Boise, Id., and Shirley Strapac Fleener of Nashville, Tn.., sister-in-law Barbara Hayes McPherson (son Brian McPherson) of Santa Maria, Ca., sister-in-law Becky Strapac of Seattle, Wa., brother-in-law Paul Strapac (Donna) of Seattle, Wa., niece Kelly Lawrence Andrade (Dr. Oscar Andrade), nephews Kenny Lawrence (Lorie) of Phoenix. Az., and Greg Lawrence (Bonnie) of Ottawa, Ks.

Ellen was a member of St Peter’s Lutheran church in Globe, Az. where she was baptized and confirmed. Ellen has requested that there be no funeral service as she will be inurned at Sacred Heart Cemetery located at West Point, N.Y. Her final wish is that the burial plaque be inscribed “Beloved Wife and Mother Together Forever.”