James Ernest Strickland - GLENNVILLE - James Ernest Strickland, born June 16, 1937, lost his honorable battle with cancer Saturday evening, August 2, 2014. Doc is survived by his beloved wife of over 56 years, Norma; his children, Quinn Strickland Flournoy (and husband Vic), Jes Strickland (and wife Lisa), and Monty Strickland (and wife Mara); and his grandchildren Zach and Cade Flournoy (Quinn & Vic) and Sam and Emry Strickland (Monty & Mara). He is predeceased by his brothers, Lex, Gerald, and Danny Strickland and his parents, Rubye and Ernest Strickland. Doc grew up in Claxton, attended ABAC in Tifton and received his DVM at the College of Veterinary Medicine at UGA. He served in the Veterinary Corp., U.S. Air Force; following his service, he practiced veterinary medicine in Thomaston, Georgia for 2 years and then had many years of mixed practice service in Glennville. He also worked for UGA as an extension veterinarian. Doc was past president and member of the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association (GVMA) and was a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). He served as past president of the Georgia Cattlemen's Association, was a member of National Cattlemen's Association and Tattnall County Cattlemen's Association, also a member of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners. Doc served for over 20 years on the Tattnall County Board of Education, was a member of the Rotary Club and a devoted member of the Glennville United Methodist Church. He was a member of the Georgia Farm Bureau for over 40 years, served as both county director and President of the Tattnall County Farm Bureau and was a member and past Vice Chairman of the Georgia Farm Bureau Beef Commodity Committee. Doc has been a semi-retired veterinarian, doing large and small animal practice work, in addition to running the family farm, which produces commercial and pure-bred Angus cattle, corn, hay, pecans and timber. Visitation will be at the J. Mellie NeSmith Funeral Home at 513 West Main Street, in Claxton, on Monday, August 4th from 5 to 8 pm; funeral services will begin at 2:00 pm, August 5th at the Glennville United Methodist Church, 116 Caswell Street, Glennville, Georgia 30427, followed by graveside burial at the Georgia Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Glennville, Georgia. In lieu of flowers, remembrances can be made to Ogeechee Area Hospice, P.O. Box 531, Statesboro, Georgia 30456; Glennville United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 352, Glennville , Georgia 30427 or the Tattnall County Campgrounds, care of Cheryl Conley, 5356 Rufus Sapp Road, Claxton, Georgia 30417. The family would like to offer special thanks to the following: Dr. Paul Thompson and staff, Evans Memorial Hospital in Claxton, Dr. George Nagrea and staff at Low Country Cancer Care in Savannah, and Ogeechee Area Hospice. J. Mellie NeSmith Funeral Home Our Family Serving Your Family Since 1917 912-739-3338 www.nesmithfuneralhome.com Savannah Morning News August 4, 2014 Please sign our Obituary Guest Book at savannnahnow.com/obituaries.