Shirl Dean Strauser

Shirl D. Strauser, 87, of Jonesboro passed from this life Thursday February 4, 2021 at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Sherwood. He was born June 28, 1933 to the late Charley and Lovie Wilson Strauser.

Shirl was born in Advance, Missouri in humble beginnings and attended school in Bloomfield, Missouri and graduated high school in Dexter, Missouri. He was drafted into the US Army in 1953 and served during the Korean Conflict. In 1955 he attended Arkansas State College, now ASU, and received an Accounting degree in 1958 and later became a Certified Public Accountant. He was the only one in his immediate family to ever go to college. He spent two years working for the Government Accounting Office (GAO) which took him to Cincinnati, Ohio and Terre Haute, Indiana. In 1959 Shirl married Jean McCrady from Rector. Shirl and Jean moved to Malden, Missouri where he was a controller of the Malden Air Base. He then went to Southern Illinois University and finished a Master’s Degree in Accounting. He continued his education at the University of Missouri receiving a PhD in accounting. Dr. Strauser was hired by ASU in 1966 to be the chairman of the Accounting Department and director of the MBA program. He served for 28 years until his retirement in 1994. He received professor emeritus status and recognized at the Faculty Honors Convocation. Dr. Strauser served on the Jonesboro City Council for 8 years. For hobbies he enjoyed gardening, raising chickens and rabbits, and drinking coffee with his cronies at McDonalds. But his greatest joy was spending time with his family. He cherished time with his three grandsons who were the light of his life.

In addition to his parents, Shirl is preceded in death by his son, Alan Strauser and brothers, Lester Strauser and Lendell Strauser.

He is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Jean McCrady Strauser of the home; daughter, Deana Strauser Johnston (Paul) of Marion and grandsons, Jordan (Elliott) Johnston of Bald Knob, Nathan (Abby) Johnston of Jonesboro and Brady Johnston of Marion.