Maceo W. Strother; Worked at Navy Base

Maceo “Mace” W. Strother, a 35-year Ventura County resident, died Sunday at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard. He was 68.

Strother was born Dec. 30, 1927, in Falmouth, Ky.

He served in the U.S. Navy for 22 years, a period that spanned World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

After his retirement, he worked as a program analyst for Port Hueneme’s Naval Ship Weapons Engineering Station, commonly known as NEMESIS.

In retirement, he earned an associate’s degree from Ventura College, followed by a bachelor’s degree and a master’s in public administration from the University of La Verne.

He was also active in the fleet reserve and the Naval Construction Battalion Center chapel, where he became head usher in the early 1970s and served on the chapel advisory commission for about 15 years.

“He was a very staunch Christian,” said longtime friend Ernest Morrison. “He never asked for anything, but he always was trying to give of himself.”

Survivors include his wife, Mary Strother of Oxnard; three sons, William Ford Strother of Northridge, Michael Jerome Strother of Oxnard and Mark Wendell Strother of Chatsworth; nine grandchildren and numerous other relatives.

Visitation will be held from 3 to 8 p.m. Friday at James A. Reardon Mortuary, 511 North A St., Oxnard.

Funeral services are scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at the CBC chapel, with interment to follow at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park. Chapel access is from the Sunset gate.