Remembering St. Mike

My deepest condolences to Mrs. Strope, the entire Strope family and all those who knew and loved Mike.

I came to know Col. Strope during my assignment to Frankfurt from 1987-1989, and more when I was transferred to work within the orthodontic clinic. One of my oldest memories of Col. Strope were his words to me following a two mile run we shared one day for physical training, or PT as we called it, which went something like this: "thanks for running with me, now you can go and get in a real run." Running at a slower pace with Col. Strope wasn't a sacrifice at all; he was a man I admired and I enjoyed his company more than he knew.

Later, Mike and Mrs. Strope were to return to the States for a week to attend the wedding of one of their children (Kelly?).  Mike asked that I stay at his home with Darren for the week. Darren certainly did not need a babysitter, just an adult in the house - and getting to know Darren was a delight. That request cemented the foundation of what would become a decades-long friendship I will always treasure.

Following my enlistment I kept in touch with Col. Strope through college and grad school. Eventually, Col. Strope became St. Mike and to him I became St. James. During our phone conversations St. Mike was always a steadfast encouraging friend. And though I never met Kelly, Brian, or their families, St. Mike always talked about them with admiring love.

Once, while visiting St. Mike, I had the opportunity to share a commuting experience that is no longer necessary. You see, there had been a flood and the road was impassable. So what does one do when the dip in the road is impassable? If one were St. Mike you utilize the row boat to ferry one's friend to your home!  We laughed more about that story after the bridge was built, but what a memory!

I will always remember St. Mike as a wonderful man and friend to me, and most certainly St. Mike's spirit is counted among those I invite to prop me up in challenging times and with whom I celebrate in times of victory.

James LeBron Rankins