Marjorie McCord Stricklin

Marjorie McCord Stricklin was born May 30, 1931, in Corinth, MS, the only child of Robert Franklin and Mina Conn McCord, and died September 25, 2015 in Monroe, Louisiana. She was preceded in death by her parents, and her husband, Dr. Thomas E. Stricklin. Survivors include her son and daughter-in-law, Hal and Patricia Stricklin; twin granddaughters, Julia and Cara Stricklin, all of Covington, LA; daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Tom McCandlish, Jr.; grandson, Conn McCandlish and twin grandsons, Robert and William McCandlish, all of Monroe, LA.An independent former college piano teacher, Mrs. Stricklin graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance with honors from Murray State University, Murray, KY and a Master of Music degree in piano performance from Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA. Further studies were completed at Aspen Institute of Music in Colorado and Chicago Musical College. Her teaching career included tenures at Fairfax Hall, Waynesboro, VA; Hinds Community College, Raymond, MS; Mississippi Piano Camp and private instruction at her studio since 1965. Active in music teacher organizations, she was a National Certified Music Teacher in the Music Teachers National Association and state certified by the Louisiana Music Teachers Association. In 1995 Marjorie was named Outstanding Music Teacher in Louisiana by LMTA. She presented several lectures on teaching at state conventions, as well as being a frequent adjudicator in the Louisiana and Mississippi area. Many of her students have won awards and competitions. A charter member of the Monroe District Music Teachers Association she served two terms as president. As a member of the Music Guild, she held every office in this organization, and served several years as the Monroe District Federation Festival chairman. When the Monroe Symphony Orchestra was formed in 1970 she became principal double bass, a position she held until her retirement in the spring of 2010. For many years she served on the board of the Monroe Symphony Orchestra, and she was a charter member of the Monroe Symphony League. For seventeen years she served as chairman for the prestigious Young Artist Competition. In 2008 the competition was renamed the Marjorie Stricklin Emerging Artists Competition in her honor. In 2005 the Monroe Symphony Orchestra bestowed her with the Roger DiGiulian Lifetime Musician Award and the 2010 she was inducted into the Monroe Symphony Orchestra Hall of Fame. Having been nominated by Louisiana Music Teachers Association, she was named a Foundation Fellow by the Music Teachers National Association in 2014.Believing that music is one of God’s greatest gifts to man, Marjorie faithfully served as pianist at Parkview Baptist Church for twenty-one years. In 1988 she began her service to Northminster Church where she and her husband were charter members. She felt very blessed to have a loving, devoted family, loyal friends and a fulfilling career. Her mantra for living came from a quotation by John Wesley. “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”Funeral services will be held at Northminster Church, 2701 Lamy Lane, Monroe, LA at 2:00 PM on Sunday, September 27, 2015, with Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy officiating. Interment will follow at Mulhearn Memorial Park Cemetery, under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home, Monroe. Serving as pallbearers will be Chuck Carson, Chris Carson, Craig Carson, Bill Soniat, Robert Autry and Alex McCord. Memorials may be made to the Monroe Symphony Orchestra, P.O. Box 15394, Monroe, LA 71207 or the Monroe Symphony League, P.O. Box 4353, Monroe, LA 71211. Online Registry/Condolences: www.mulhearnfuneralhome.comMulhearn Funeral HomeMonroe, LA