Obituary

Ben Reilly Strickland

June 3, 1933 - April 18, 2025

Ben Reilly Strickland, a lifelong broadcaster, passed into eternal life on Good Friday, April 18, 2025, at his home in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, surrounded by family.

Ben was born in Austin, Texas, on June 3, 1933, and raised in Houston, Texas. His career in broadcasting began with several Houston radio stations during his high school days at Mirabeau B Lamar High School. Later, while attending Baylor University on an ROTC scholarship, he continued his career with the school radio station until the first television station went on the air in Waco, Texas. He then joined the staff of the Waco TV station making his first step into television.

After graduating from Baylor in 1954, he spent 2 ½ years in the US Air Force as a First Lieutenant. He worked with the Korean Armed Forces Network overseas as an announcer. After returning from Korea, he became a member of the American Meteorological Society, receiving his training from the Meteorological Division of Lockheed Aircraft and joined the KFDX TV in Wichita Falls, Texas, doing 6p weathercast. In 1979, Ben became the Sales and General Manager of WAPT TV, an ABC affiliate, in Jackson, Mississippi. While in Jackson, he was President of Sales and Marketing Club and President elect of Mississippi Broadcasters. He was a board member of the Jackson Planetarium and the USA International Ballet Competition.

He later served as Sales Manager of KOSA, a CBS affiliate, in Odessa, Texas, and as the General Manager of WHLT TV, a CBS affiliate, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

In his final years of broadcasting, Ben was the owner and manager of WBOX AM-FM radio station in Bogalusa, Louisiana, and a Paul Harris Fellow recipient from Bogalusa Rotary.

Ben served as a deacon at First Presbyterian Church in Wichita Falls, Texas, and later attended First Presbyterian Church in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, with his family.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Florence Reilly and Bennie F. Strickland; and his sister, Margaret Adele Cooke.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Linda Massey Strickland; daughter, Susan Lynn Druhan (Michael); sons, Scott Massey Strickland and Mark Reilly Strickland; grandson, Michael David Druhan Jr. (Lauren); graddaughter, Natalie Druhan Dorbeck (Drake); and two great grandchildren, Reilly Dru Dorbeck and Briggs Redman Druhan.

A simple graveside service for the family will be held Friday April 25, 2025.