VIRGINIA BEACH, May 20 – Joe Strickland, 88, of Virginia Beach, went to be with the Lord, his true love Dorothy L. Strickland and daughter, Eilene Strickland, on Monday, May 17, 2010.

A native of Pitt County, NC, he was the son of Robert and Rosa Strickland, a beloved father and one of the founding members of Va. Beach Freewill Baptist Church.

He served in WWII in the Navy as a Gunners Mate Second Class on the USS WASP (CV7) and USS ESSEX (CV9). He survived the sinking of the USS WASP (CV7) in the Solomon Islands by a Japanese submarine. He was injured while serving on the USS ESSEX (CV9) when it was struck by a Japanese kamikaze plane.

Mr. Strickland is survived by daughters, Dorothy Bauer and husband, Gerald E. Bauer of Virginia Beach, Betty Strickland Morris and husband, Frank A. Morris of Danville, and Chris-tine Strickland Wall and husband, Dennis R. Wall Jr. of Elon, NC; granddaughter, April C. Lumpkin and husband, Cliff E. Lumpkin of Imperial Beach, CA; grandson, Joe Edward Bauer of Portsmouth; grand-daughter, Alexandra Grace Wall of Elon, NC; and niece, Luellen Nurney of Gates, NC.

A graveside service with military honors will be held at St. Barnabus Cemetery in Snow Hill, NC at a later date.

Memorials may be made to Union Mission, Norfolk.

Hollomon-Brown Great Neck Chapel is handling the arrangements. Condolences may be offered to the family at www.hollomon-brown.com