John F. Strayer Jr ’58
Issue
Back to 1958 Class Year
More Class of 1958 Obituaries
September-October 2026
John F. Strayer Jr ’58 passed away on March 24 in Canton, Ohio, where he was born and spent much of his life. At Dartmouth Jeff majored in sociology, was secretary of Alpha Delta Phi, and participated on the swimming team and Army ROTC drill team. He served two years in the Army in Washington, D.C., then earned an M.B.A. at Babson College and embarked on a career in sales and marketing with Fisher-Price Toys and Borden. Then, “after 10 years of a heavy travel schedule, it was a real pleasure to slow down and enjoy my family as a manufacturer’s rep and to return to Canton in 1977,” Jeff said. He was a strong believer in service to his community and served as president of the Canton Museum of Art and a director of Aultman Hospital. He also valued the time he spent volunteering for United Way and raising funds to help the community. Jeff was a prolific reader and had a photographic memory, so he was the best Trivial Pursuit partner and crossword solver. For many years, Jeff and his wife, Sally, owned a vacation cottage on Squirrel Island, Maine, which he called “a rewarding stabilizer in our lives.” His yearly trips with fishing buddies to Georgian Bay created great memories. He was an interviewer for Dartmouth admissions for 18 years and served twice as secretary of his Dartmouth club. Jeff is survived by Sally and two daughters.