James Donald Strong – Colonel, United States Army

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From a contemporary press report:

 James Donald Strong, 94, a Colonel in the Army Corps of Engineers and a lifelong tennis enthusiast and coach, died November 6, 2003, at Inova Alexandria Hospital. He had myelodysplasia, a leukemia-like condition, for several years.

Colonel Strong joined the Army Corps of Engineers in 1931 and retired in 1959. He served in Europe during World War II and in Korea during the Korean War.

A resident of Alexandria, Virginia, he had lived in the Washington area since the 1950s. He was born in Atwater, Minnesota, and graduated from Yale University, where he was captain of the tennis team. In the course of his career as a tennis enthusiast, he coached youth tennis at Fort Belvoir and elsewhere.

He officiated at the four major tennis tournaments, Wimbledon and the U.S., French and Australian Opens. He trained a generation of tennis officials.

Colonel Strong also organized a Little League baseball program at Fort Belvoir.

He established the Stronghold Foundation, through which he raised money to send promising minority students to preparatory schools, from which they could attend selective colleges and universities.

His marriage to Marie Elizabeth Zemke ended in divorce.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Elizabeth Lineberry of Alexandria; four children from his first marriage, Monica Strong and David Strong, both of Hilton Head, S.C., Roger Strong of Aurora, Ontario, and Jonathan Strong of Maui, Hawaii; two stepdaughters, Kathleen Rutledge of Springfield and Patricia Bell Luehers of Arlington; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

STRONG, JAMES DONALD (Age 94)

On November 6, 2003, of Alexandria, VA. Husband of Mary Elizabeth Lineberry. Also survived by one daughter, three sons and two step-daughters. Family and friends may call on December 16, from 12 to 1 p.m. at the Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church. A funeral service will follow at 1 p.m. Interment will be held at Arlington National Cemetery at 3 p.m. with Military Honors. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Virginia Community Hospice, 520 N. Washington St., Suite 400, Falls Church, VA 22046; The Shattuck-St. Mary's School, P.O. Box 218, Faribault, MN 55021 or Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church, 2006 Belle View Blvd., Alexandria, VA 22307.

STRONG, JAMES D
COL   US ARMY

  • VETERAN SERVICE DATES: 05/01/1930 – 05/01/1959
  • DATE OF BIRTH: 05/09/1909
  • DATE OF DEATH: 11/06/2003
  • DATE OF INTERMENT: 12/16/2003
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 66  SITE 1102
  • ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

 

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