Mr. Alton P. Strickland, 88

HICKORY Mr. Alton Preston Strickland, 88, of Hickory, formerly of Fayetteville, passed away February 26, 2009 at Palliative CareCenter and Hospice of Catawba Valley. Born March 4, 1920 in Cumberland County, he was the son of the late Andrew Jefferson Strickland and Ida Josephine Bunce Strickland. Mr. Strickland was a member of Magnolia Baptist Church in Stedman. He was a retired sales manager for the Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife Louise McLaurin Strickland; five brothers, Lester Franklin Strickland, Lemuel Jefferson Strickland, Harvey Hubert Strickland, John Bunyan Strickland, Braxton Eugene Strickland; and one sister, Fleta Lancaster. He is survived by his daughter, Ann Strickland DeBoever and husband Butch of Bethlehem, NC; grandson, Sky DeBoever of Shelby, NC; grandson, Len DeBoever of Macon, GA, where he is a student at Mercer University; and a number of nieces and nephews. The funeral service will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Saturday, February 28 at Magnolia Baptist Church in Stedman. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends prior to the service at the church from 12:30 to 1:45 P.M. Memorials may be made to the Hemophillia Foundation, P.O. Box 70, Cary, NC 27512 or Gideon International Bible.