Richard Blain Stratton

1938 – 2025

Richard Blain Stratton of Orem, Utah passed away peacefully at home on May 26, 2025, at the age of 87. He was born January 16, 1938, to John Briggs and Ruby Jane (Larson) Stratton of Provo Bench (Orem). He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Theodora “Teddy” Stratton, but is survived by their five children: Lisa (Brett) Sorenson of Belmont, Massachusetts, Richard “Rick” (Shelly) Stratton of Missoula, Montana, Ryan (Kadee) Stratton of Alpine, Utah, Julia (Dean) Harmon of Billerica, Massachusetts, and Suzanne (Gary) Whitaker of Orem, Utah, 22 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Richard grew up in Orem riding his bike with friends, teasing his older sister MarJean, working on the family farm, and playing card games. As a teenager his love of high fidelity audio blossomed and he learned how to do many things electric, including building a color TV for his parents. As a teenager he also helped his parents build a cabin at Fish Lake Utah, which became a place where many wonderful memories were created over the years.

After graduating from Lincoln High School in 1956, Richard attended Brigham Young University, where he studied Electrical Engineering. While at BYU he was the President of the Circle K Service Club and Chairman of the BYU Republicans Club. He graduated in 1961 with high honors and received the Outstanding Graduating Senior Award. After graduation he served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Finland Helsinki Mission. He fell in love with the Finnish people and their customs, returning to Finland three times over the years. After his mission he received his Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering in 1965 from BYU.

Richard met Teddy Rohbock in the first grade. After attending his birthday party, Teddy declared to her mother, “I don’t know who I’ll marry, but it won’t be Richard Stratton. He’s too big of a tease!” Fate would bring them back together in high school, and after dating and corresponding for a few years after missions and graduation, they were married in the Salt Lake City Temple on June 3, 1965.

The couple started their lives together in East Lansing, Michigan where Richard attended Michigan State University and Lisa and Rick were born. After Richard received a PhD in Electrical Engineering in 1969, they moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico where he worked on US defense related assignments for Sandia National Laboratories. They lived in New Mexico for 18 years, during which time they welcomed Ryan, Julia, and Suzanne into the family. In 1987 Richard was offered a promotion to work for AT&T / Bell Laboratories Government Solutions in New Jersey, and the family lived there for the next 18 years. He loved being on the East Coast and the new variety of activities that it offered such as Broadway shows in New York City and proximity to US Revolutionary War and LDS historical sites. In New Jersey, Richard’s love of electronics flourished when he created a light show (including a water fountain) around the family pool which synchronized to music.

Shortly after retiring in 2001, Richard was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor which required surgery and several weeks in a rehab facility. Over the next 23 years as the tumor grew back multiple times, he endured three rounds of radiation, one round of chemotherapy, and countless MRIs. Regardless of the side effects of his diagnosis, with the help of his dedicated wife by his side, he was able to continue living a beautiful life which included more travel, spending time with grandchildren, and after moving back to Orem in 2005, serving an 18-month mission from 2005-2006 with Teddy in Sapporo, Japan.

Richard loved flowers (especially roses and orchids), fruit trees, and gardening. In New Mexico he gave each child a small garden in the backyard to plant, water, weed, and grow. In New Jersey he spent hours protecting his plants from deer and other forest critters, and in his later years in Orem he loved working on the hillside terraces behind their home.

Richard was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He held many stake and ward callings over the years, his favorites being working with the youth as Scoutmaster, managing a church Apple Orchard in New Mexico, and serving as Stake Patriarch in New Jersey (later being able to give many of his grandchildren their Patriarchal Blessings). Richard enjoyed travelling with his family and has visited many wonderful locations around the world with Teddy, his children, and his grandchildren. He was an avid BYU fan, attending BYU football, basketball, and women’s soccer games.

Richard’s most remarkable achievement was his role as father and grandpa. He dearly loved his children and grandchildren and looked forward to spending time with them. He created scaled down soccer fields in back yards, coached soccer teams, maintained family pools in New Mexico and New Jersey for many parties, taught five kids how to drive a car with stick shift, helped with homework, gave rides on his riding lawnmower, made amazing French onion soup, attended many sporting events and musical presentations, and drove the family to Utah every summer and on many other road trip vacations. Richard was deeply loved by his family and will be greatly missed.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at the Orem Cherry Hill 5th Ward, 135 East 2000 South, Orem, Utah. A viewing will be held from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM. The funeral service will begin at 11:00 AM.

Services will be streamed live on walkersanderson.com. He will be interred at the Orem City Cemetery, joining Teddy on what would have been their 60th wedding anniversary.