Roland P. Stratton Jr., M.D. Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Roland Pancoast Stratton, Jr., M.D., peacefully passed away on July 21, 2022 at Medford Leas, just short of his 99th birthday. He was born at home at 121 East 2nd Street in Moorestown, NJ on July 27, 1923. He took great amusement in the fact that, like Betty White, he was older than sliced bread. He was best known as “Bud” by his friends, and always walked gracefully in the light. His example was so natural that we were all walking in the light before we knew it. He was a spiritual man, full of love and laughter. We will miss his smile, the sparkle in his eyes, his fanciful, playful mischievous humor, and his love of music. Most of all, we will miss his love for us all. His words and actions made the world a better place and by being in our worlds we became better people. Bud served in World War II as a Medic in the 71st Evac Hospital. He was a Quaker and a conscientious objector. He served without ever carrying a gun, which frustrated the Commanding Officer of his boot camp to no end! Bud was saving lives as a Medic instead of harming others. This is the Quaker way and a true shining example of the Quaker Society of Friends. Bud graduated from Moorestown Friends High School in 1941 and later in life, served as a member of the Moorestown Friends School Legacy Society and was a philanthropist. He graduated and Swarthmore College in 1948 and was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. Until his last days he followed the principals of Swarthmore’s founding fathers to “...claim a higher mission...be inspired with a love of learning for its own sake...with the development of the moral and religious elements of character”. He was a life-long philanthropist of Swarthmore College and a member of the Swarthmore’s College Peace Collection: Records of the Center on Conscience and War, 1940-ongoing. This organization was formed to aid conscientious objectors in World War II. At times during his college years, he worked as a trainman and was able to see the country. Bud earned his medical degree from Temple University in 1951 and established his Family Practice in Mount Holly, NJ in 1954. He was a member of the New Jersey Medical Society, the Burlington County Medical Society, and the American Academy of Family Physicians, as a Charter Fellow and was Board Certified by them in 1980. He received the Golden Merit Award on April 20, 2001 from the Medical Society of New Jersey upon completion of fifty years of distinguished service as a practicing physician. He was the Chief of the Department of Family Practice at Memorial Hospital of Burlington County. Bud was also a member of the Professional Advisory Committee of the Visiting Nurse & Homemaker Service, Inc. He cared for many, many people in Mount Holly and was often the first person to smack most of their children. Bud was one of the last doctors to do personal house calls to his patients’ homes. This well rounded, gifted, sweet, loving, gentle and noble man had many talents. First and foremost, he was the “Patriarch” of his extended and still growing family. Bud was our Dad, Stepdad, Father-in-Law, Pop-Pop, and Great Grandfather. He often had fatherly and of course, medical advice for all of us! One of his favorites was, as he said it with a sparkling smile and twinkling eyes, “Don’t you think you should be walking a little more and lose a few pounds? Walking will keep you healthy!”, or “Use a little less salt and cut down your portions.” A lesson learned by one of his youngest, was that Dad was not going to pull strings to get him out of trouble. He would, however, stand by him as he faced the consequences of his actions. He also learned that once you finished college and have a job that you should be moving out on your own. Another sibling recalls that whenever he has a hard decision to make, he asks himself, how would Bud handle it? Bud was the most loving and caring father anyone could have. He was firm but fair and loved his children deeply; they learned well. Bud married Shirley Joan Friday in February 1950 and had three wonderful children, Heidi Sigrid Stratton, Roland Pancoast Stratton, III (Sandy) and Jock Kearney Stratton. After Shirley passed in 1969, he married Patricia (Stockton) Naughton, in 1971, who had three wonderful children of her own, Jane Ann (Naughton) Kovacs, John Joseph Naughton III (Jack), and Thomas Michael Naughton (Tommy). After Patricia passed in 2002, he then married Jean (Luckhardt) Barclay Robbins on November 3, 2003 who had four wonderful children, Richard Barclay, Walter Barclay, Anne Barclay (Nan), and Allison (Barclay) Boyd. Jean passed away in August 2018. Eventually, his children had children of their own. He was then not only a father, but a grandfather, turned great-grandfather. He loved his growing family deeply. He provided warmth and love, words of encouragement, and support in many ways. He also gave them a firm talking to from time to time, when needed! However, he would always end the conversation with “I love you” or “Keep Smiling!” He helped mold his grandchildren and great grandchildren into who they are today. His grandchildren are Jennifer Stratton, Nathan Smith, Kristen Kovacs, Thomas Naughton, Jr., Nicholas Sosa and Robert Hutnick. His great grandchildren are Vincent McCabe, Adrianna McCabe, A.J. Anderson (Anthony Jr.), Hayden Sosa, Nathan Smith, John Smith, and Baela Messmer. In his final years, Elizabeth Jane (B.J.) Tetlow was his constant companion. We are so grateful for her loving kindness and the enormous joy she gave to him. One of Bud’s hobbies throughout his life was creating things from wood. They would bear his signature “BUILT BY HAND, BY BUD, BY GOLLY”. We all have collections of wooden book shelves, stools, etc. in our homes. He was an avid harmonica player and entertained us on our birthdays (including his own). Bud was also a Bee Keeper for many years and his apiary produced his locally grown deliciously sweet honey. As Bud would say, “The best honey North of the South Branch of the Rancocas Creek”. Bud was licensed pilot and owned his own plane. His first solo flight was on November 25, 1970 from the Red Lion Airport. He was a member of The American Yankee Association, Inc., as well as the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association. Often, you could find Bud flying his plane out of the Red Lion Municipal Airport. Bud was a member of the Moorestown Meeting where he also taught Sunday school, and a member of the Medford Meeting. He was a member of the Mount Holly BPOE Elk’s Organization, a member of the Mount Holly Rotary, a Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International and was a philanthropist for the Smithsonian. He was a founder and first Director of the Ankokas Chapter of the Antique Automobile Club of America which started in 1964. He was Vice-President - National Activities, and Chairman - Annual Meeting, for the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA). He received a Life Membership from the AACA. He showed off his antique cars at many events including the Annual Autumn National AACA meet in Hershey, PA, the Apple Blossom Meet in Winchester, VA, the Haddonfield Auto Show in Haddonfield, NJ and the Pocono Glidden Tour in Buck Hill Falls, PA, just to name a few. He also drove in local parades on the 4th of July and Memorial Day, and the Rancocas Valley Regional High School Homecoming parades. He even drove our own "Sally Star" in one of these parades. In his retirement, he just couldn’t stay away from practicing medicine. Many of his former patients were residents at Medford Leas Nursing home. So, Bud became the Medford Leas Staff Doctor for several years. When he became a resident of Medford Leas Nursing home he led entertainment hours, was on the Movie Night Committee and ran the projector. He Chaired the Health Committee and was an Estaugh Redevelopment Committee member. He also did volunteer work by taking residents to and from the Fitness Center. For many years, he maintained the bird houses and you could often find him planting vegetation. Of course, he played his harmonica at retirement parties and other gatherings. Bud loved his work and his hobbies, but he also liked to play. Throughout the years, his Grandchildren would love to visit him at the shore house in LBI where they would ride the waves and build sand castles. And if there was ever a party, he would be dancing it up on the dance floor. Jennifer recalls at her high school graduation party, he danced more than she and her friends did! And when his first grandchild was born, he was on the first flight back to NJ from Maine to greet him for the very first time at the hospital. He was overjoyed. But that was Bud... the light in your life. The pep in your step. A reason to “Keep Smiling”. And when we think of him, that’s exactly what we will do. “Keep Smiling”, because just having been blessed to have him in your life is a reason to smile. We knew him by many names, but whether we called him Dad, Bud, Pop-pop, and Great-granddad, or by any other name, we all knew he was one of the greatest blessings in our lives. Dr. Stratton's testimonials will be lived streamed via Zoom, please see below for the Meeting ID and Passcode. Meeting ID: 874 5471 1094 Passcode: Stratton12 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87454711094?pwd=WEhFUEJkcjNlYzhpOGhIWGhad0lrdz09

Roland P. Stratton Jr., M.D.

July 27, 1923 - July 21, 2022