Golda Strohecker

Golda Annette Strohecker was born on June 4, 1944, to Jesse and Mary Jane (Dew) Merriett at St. Francis Hospital in Maryville, MO. She passed on March 16, 2025, in Oceanside, CA.

Annette was the eldest of five children and as a military family of the 1940-1960's traveled across the country. She graduated from Junction City, KS High School in 1962. She then returned to Burlington Junction, MO so she could attend the St. Joseph Beauty School in St. Joseph, МО.

While in Missouri, she met and married Marvin D. Crabtree on October 1, 1964. Together they traveled in a silver Air Stream trailer across the United States because Marvin worked for the National Geodetic Survey (NOAA). They had a daughter in 1965, Candace Ann, in Newberry, MI, and a son in 1967, Russell Dean, in Klamath Falls, OR. During this time, they lived in many places including Michigan, Oregon, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Kansas. In the mid 1970's, Annette moved her family to Burlington Junction for the children's education. It was there that she pursued her dream of becoming a nurse. She attended Northwest Missouri State University and graduated in 1976 from the Licensed Practical Nursing program.

The family moved to Manassas VA in 1978, where she continued her nursing education, becoming a Registered Nurse at the Prince William Hospital in Manassas. She loved her nursing career, especially helping newborns enter the world and caring for the sick and injured as a licensed EMT.

In 1984 she and Marvin divorced and soon after she met and married Robert (Bob) F. Strohecker on September 8, 1984. Together they enjoyed motorcycle riding, bowling, trap shooting, and Blue Grass music. In 1993 Annette and Bob returned to the Midwest where they purchased the local hardware store in Burlington Junction, MO. She continued her nursing career by flying back and forth to Manassas VA for the next three years, retiring after 20 years with Prince William Hospital. Annette then worked at Mosaic Hospital in St. Joseph, MO and at Fairfax Community Hospital in Fairfax, MО.

Annette enjoyed her flower garden, crafting-especially ceramic painting, going "junking" with her best friend Polly Barton, traveling with her daughter to various cities and countries, and hosting family gatherings of the Merriett and Dew cousins.

Preceding her in death were her parents, Jesse and Mary Jane Merriett, husband Robert F. Strohecker, ex-husband Marvin D. Crabtree, brother in laws Jon Q. Nelson and Glen Allen McGinness. Left to cherish her memory are Candace, Paul, and Alaric Boughman of Oceanside, CA; Russell Dean Crabtree of Wichita, KS; Jesse and Nikki Merriett of Maryville, MO; Janet and Stuart Moser of Savannah, MO; Theresa and Haywood Martin of Medical Lake, WA; Marsha and Mike Gibson of Burlington Junction, MO; numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews; great-great nieces and nephews, and the hundreds of friends and co-workers she met throughout her life.

A graveside memorial service will be held at the Ohio Cemetery in Burlington Junction, MO on September 16th, 2025, at 11am. A celebration of life reception will also be held directly after the service at the First Christian Church in Burlington Junction where family and friends may share their memories of Golda Annette. The Ladies of the First Christian Church will be providing a light lunch and refreshments.