CHARLES WARD STRANG, JR.

Charles W. Strang, a retired Lt Colonel, US Army, and Professor Emeritus at Western New Mexico University, passed away quietly of natural causes on January 19, 2018. Colonel Strang was born on May 8, 1932 on Long Island, New York and grew up in Wantagh, New York. He attended public schools in Wantagh and the W. C. Mepham High School in North Bellimore. He was an active member of the Track and Rifle Team at Mepham, including being on three Long Island Championship Relay Teams. He attended Duke University for one year and was on the track and cross country team. He transferred to Virginia Polytechnic University in 1951, where he was a member of the Corps of Cadets and the Rifle Team. He graduated in 1954 as a Distinguished Military Graduate and entered the Regular Army. During his twenty year Army Career, he was a parachutist and a Ranger. He has earned numerous awards, including two Legions of Merit, the Soldier’s Medal, Bronze Star, Air Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge. His assignments included the 82nd Airborne Division, 25th Infantry Division and 5th Infantry Division, and served in the Fourth Infantry Division in Vietnam during the Battle of Dak To and Tet Offensive. After serving a tour in the office of the Comptroller of the Army, he became the Budget Officer for the U.S. Army Pacific. He earned an MBA from the University of Hawaii, later becoming a Certified Public Accountant, the Research Director for the Hawaii Trucking Association, and Operations Manager for Yellow Freight Systems in Hawaii. At 55 years of age, he obtained a Doctorate from the University of Southern California and taught business courses for over twenty years in Hawaii, New Mexico, and Arizonia, as well as during a sabbatical in Israel. He also served as a Business Department Chair, Dean of the Business School at Chaminade, Director of Business Graduate Programs at Western New Mexico University (WNMU), and was the founding Director of the New Mexico Economic Development Course. In 2002, he retired as a Professor Emeritus from WNMU after being chosen their Educator of the Year in 2001. After retirement from WNMU, he briefly taught for the School of Accountancy at Manoa. In May 2004, he was presented an award as Director of the NM Economic Development Course and was recognized for his service to the community, which included writing a weekly column for over 12 years for the Silver City Daily Press called "Business Report". Through the years, he has done voluntary work for the Small Business Development Center at WNMU which he helped organize in the late 1980’s. His late wife, Carrol, and he traveled extensively to include hiking in England, France, South America and Africa, as well as the New Mexico Gila Wilderness. He completed over 40 marathons, including 3 Boston Marathons, along with finishing hundreds of other endurance events. He continued to participate in the running community until his death. He is survived by his daughters, Jane Kleitsch, Lori DeLooze, and Marta L’Estrange; his four grand- children, Christine DeLooze, Garret DeLooze, Robert Kleitsch, and Amy Kleitsch; and Carrol’s children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He will be interred at Punchbowl National Cemetary later this year with military honors.

Arrangements Provided By: Oahu Cemetery Association