Heart of Texas
Young Marines
3310 N 15A St.
Waco, Texas

Commanding Officer
Henry Gonzales III MSgt USMC Retired

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In Memory

L/Cpl. Johnny Ray Strong
May 24, 1986 - June 12, 2007

Johnny Ray Strong died in the Al Anbar Province, Iraq. He was 21 years old. Services were held June 20, 2007 at Connally Compton Funeral Home and officiated by Bro. Henry Harris. Full military Honors followed at Oakwood Cemetary.

Johnny was born on May 24, 1986 in Temple, Tx at Scott & White Hospital weighing only 29 and one half ounces. He attended A. J. Moore Academy and was member of the Heart of Texas Young Marines and also joined the Junior ROTC program. During his senior year, he enlisted in the Marines. After graduating from A.J. Moore in 2004 he went to bootcamp in San Diego, California.

Johnny was a Marine through and through. He loved serving his country and was serving his second tour in Iraq.

His family and friends will miss his happy, upbeat, outgoing personality mire than words can express. His hobbies included bowling, putt putt, shooting pool, listening to music and playing video games. He also enjoyed playing the piano and going on vacation with his family to the coast.

Johnny leaves behind many family and friends, including his parents, Steven and Jacqueline Willimas Strong of Waco; maternal grandparents, Minerva D. Williams and Elsworth Williams Jr.; paternal grandparents, Elizabeth Merritt and Ferrell Jeppesen; many uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews and cousins; a very special and loving family, Thomas and Gracie McGlauflin andtheir children. Amoung his many friends were pallbearers Roy Werthen, Poppy Serrano, Angelo Cavazos, Thomas McGlauflin, Jacob Romero and Nicholas Blanchard. Honorary pallbearers were the A.J. Moore Class of 2004 and a cousin, Kristopher Williams, with whom he shared a close bond. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Johnny Ray Strong Scholarship Fund at the A.J. Moore Academy, 500 N. University Parks Drive, Waco, Texas 76702.

One tribute to L/Cpl Strong was the showing of the "Patriot Guard Riders" ("Riding with Respect") Commanded by Steve Cole, Deputy State Captain for the CenTex PGR. These Patriotic men and women rode in from all over the state of Texas to escort Johnny Strong from the Waco airport to Connelly-Compton Funeral home where they stood guard outside with each holding an American Flag so visitors could walk through the Escort Guard under the Banner of our Country.

These men and women, most who have served our Country in the Armed Forces of the United States of America, came at their own expense to a Fallen Warrior, who they had never met, but know so well what Johnny Strong went through to keep our Country safe. These men and womenthen escorted Johnny Stromg to the cemetary wearing their colors proudly.

These are the people our Nation depends on in times of war and peace, and as they served proudly then, they serve proudly now.