Mr. William M. "Bill" Strait, Jr., 87, a lifelong resident of Montgomery, AL, passed away November 5, 2013, at the Bill Nichols State Veterans Home in Alexander City, AL and was surrounded at his death by family members. Funeral services will be held at First United Methodist Church in Montgomery, AL on Saturday, November 9, 2013, at 2:00 p.m. with Dr. Lawson Bryan officiating. Burial will follow in Greenwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service in the Fellowship Hall of First United Methodist Church. Bill was a graduate of Auburn University and honorably served in the U.S. Army as a 1st Lieutenant (Artillery). He was wounded in Korea and after his discharge in 1953; he was awarded the Purple Heart, Korean Service Medal, U.N. Service Medal and a National Defense Service Medal. After his discharge from the Army, Bill began employment as an Optician at Ellis Optical Dispensary in the Normandale Shopping Center. Soon after this initial employment, Bill became an active volunteer at the Montgomery Little Theatre (MLT) on S. Goldthwaite St, where he soon became the first and only full time Managing Director for over 25 years. He was also past president of the Southside Kiwanis Club. Bill is survived by his sons, Murray (Connie) of Auburn, AL, and Richard (Joy) of Savannah, GA; two grandsons, Will and Kirk; granddaughter, Ellie; nieces, Bobbie (Mark) Limbers of Eclectic, AL and Celia (Eddie) Robbins of Marina del Rey, CA. Flowers are appreciated or memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, 2416 W. Cloverdale Park, Montgomery, AL, 36106 or the Bill Nichols State Veterans Home, 1784 Elkahatchee Road, Alexander City, AL, 35010.

Published in the Montgomery Advertiser on Nov. 8, 2013