Faye Hyde Strayer, 91, died February 14, 2019, at Oaknoll Health Center, Iowa City, Iowa after a short illness. A memorial service will be held this summer. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the University of Iowa Foundation for the Museum of Art Sponsorship Fund, P.O. Box 4550, Iowa City, Iowa, 52244-4550, the Unitarian Universalist Society Memorial Fund, 2355 Oakdale Road, Coralville, Iowa, 52241, or Oaknoll Foundation.

Faye retired in 1985 from her position as program associate with the Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa College of Medicine, in which she led development of a computer-assisted medical management system enabling pediatric cancer patients to receive care in their home communities. She earned B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. degrees at the University of Iowa. Her previous employment included teaching in public and University elementary schools, writing test items for the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills, co-authoring a revision of the standards for G.E.D. tests used nationwide, and work as an editorial consultant.

Faye was an active volunteer throughout her seven decades living in the Iowa City area, contributing work and leadership to many local and national organizations including Alpha Phi, American Association of University Women, care review committees for Hillcrest Residence and Meth-Wick Retirement Community, Children’s Clothing Guild, Community Givers, Heart Fund, Johnson County Democrats, Old Capitol Criterium, Phi Delta Kappa, Pi Lambda Theta, Rapid Creek Pony Club, Unitarian Universalist Society, United Way, and others. As Alpha Phi House Corporation Board member, she managed the effort to restore the exterior of the 1875 Thomas Carson home at the northeast corner of College and Governor Streets to its early classic beauty, and to earn its listing on the National Register of Historic Places. After retirement, she served as a docent at the University of Iowa Museum of Art for over twenty years, specializing in tours for schoolchildren. In 1993 she received the Iowa City Senior Center Woman of Distinction Award.

Born in Clayton County, Iowa to parents Dale and Anita Hyde, she lived and worked on the family farm until age 16, when she became the teacher in a one-room schoolhouse in rural Clayton County. She enrolled at the University of Northern Iowa (then known as Iowa State Teacher’s College) in 1946, where she met her future husband, Gordon B. Strayer, then transferred to the University of Iowa after one year. Faye and Gordon married June 4, 1948.

Faye moved to the Oaknoll Retirement Community in early 2017, following Gordon’s death in 2016. She took full advantage of the diverse educational, social, cultural, political, travel and other opportunities available at Oaknoll until shortly before her death.

Faye will be remembered for her passionate support of many political candidates over the years, as well as a wide range of causes.

She is survived by daughter, Hilary Strayer and son-in-law Peter Nothnagle of Iowa City; son, Scott Strayer and friend Anna Strong of San Jose, Calif.; brother, Merle Hyde and wife Flo of Henderson, Nev.; sister, Julia Ardoin and husband Darrell of Vienna, Va.; and sister-in-law, Joyce Hyde of Guttenberg, Iowa, and their families. Her husband, brothers Keith Hyde and Robert Hyde, and a nephew, Richard Hyde, died earlier.

The family is deeply grateful for the compassionate and expert care provided by Dr. Richard Dobyns as well as the many professionals and friends at Oaknoll Health Center and the Oaknoll Retirement Community who contributed to Faye’s care and quality of life.

Photo credit Cindy Altmaier Riley (2017). Online condolences may be sent to www.lensingfuneral.com.

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