Travis R. Strahan, 87, of Ringgold, Georgia, passed away peacefully on Thursday, April 12, 2018, in a Winchester, Tennessee health care facility.
He was the son of the late Raymond Strahan and Clara Davis and was preceded in death by a sister, Melba Oliver and brother, Jerry Ward.
He retired from the United States Army as Sergeant First Class and served with pride in Vietnam. Travis was a member of the VFW, American Legion, Alhambra Shrine, Quitman Masonic Lodge and the Ringgold Chapter Order of the Eastern Star where he served as Past Patron.
He was a member of Ridgedale Baptist Church, Friendship Sunday School Class and sang in the choir.
Travis was a well-known gunsmith. He traveled the world with the U.S. All Army Pistol Team. He served local law enforcement with their handguns in Catoosa and surrounding counties.
He designed the Accu-Lock Combat firearm as an improvement of a handgun first designed in 1911. He had been building match pistols for many years, beginning with his assignment to the U.S. Army's Advanced Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning, Ga. He began improving on the 1911 edition after his retirement from the Army. He set out to design a modification that would do away with the brushing mechanism entirely.
With the newly-designed pistol, Travis could not build the new model fast enough for all the match shooters who wanted it, despite a price of over $5,000. The improved version was called "the most significant improvement since John Browning designed the original pistol."
Survivors include his loving wife of 63 years, Dorothy Strahan, of Ringgold, three children, Lynn (Darlene) Strahan, of Fayetteville, Tx., Travis (Robin) Strahan, of Jasper, Shari (David) Anderson, of Chattanooga, six grandchildren, Jeremy, Lindsey, Nathan, Melisa, Brian and Leanne, five great- grandchildren, four sisters, Charlotte Gibson, New Caney, Tx., Wanda (Luke) Ward, Fairfield, Tx., Mickey (Gene) Stephens, of Livingston, Tx., Kathy (Jack) Jordan, of Canton, Tx., several nieces and nephews and a beloved friend, John Norris, of Marietta, Ga.
A memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, June 1, in the East Brainerd Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home with Dr. Bill Owens officiating. Interment will follow in the Chattanooga National Cemetery with full military rites and Masonic rites being conducted at the cemetery. Members of the Friendship Sunday School Class and OES will serve as honorary pallbearers.
The family will receive friends from 12-1:30 p.m. on Friday, June 1, at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Shrine Children’s Bus Unit, 1000 Alhambra Shrine Drive, Chattanooga, Tn. 37421.
Please share your thoughts and memories online at www.ChattanoogaEastBrainerChapel.com.
Arrangements by Chattanooga Funeral Home, East Brainerd Chapel, 8214 East Brainerd Road, Chattanooga, Tn. 37421.