Rev. JohnFrancis Strother was born on December 13, 1952, to William and Mary Strother in Lexington, Sinoe County, Liberia. He finished elementary school in Lexington, Sinoe County, and then relocated to Monrovia to reside with his family members to continue high school, where he enrolled in the Charlotte Tolbert Memorial High School and graduated in 1975. He enrolled in the Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary in Paynesville, Liberia, in 1976, and graduated in 1979 as part of the Seminary's first graduating class with a Bachelor of Theology (BTH).

Rev. Strother joined the Saint Simon Baptist church in Monrovia (Bassa Community), Liberia as a member of the Royal Ambassador and later became Royal Ambassador Counselor under the leadership of the Late Rev. Lawrence Hardy of the Southern Baptist Missionary Convention assigned to Liberia, along with Rev. J. Gbana Hall of the Liberia Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention.

Rev. Strother received a Licentiate and served as an Associate Pastor at St. Simon Baptist Church in 1977, alongside Rev. Toby A. Gbeh of Connecticut and Rev. Cecelia Nialou Goffa-Duoe of New Jersey, under the pastorate of Rev. E T Lewis.

Rev. Strother was ordained on January 8, 1988, at St. Simon Baptist Church by the Southern Baptist Missionaries and the Liberia Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention. Rev. Strother also worked with the Liberia Direct Baptist Missionary Conference while serving as an Associate Pastor of St. Simon Baptist Church.

Rev. Strother began his professional career as principal for one of the Liberia's Direct Baptist Missionary Conference school systems in Nimba County, Liberia, in 1979. Rev. Strother later worked as the Managing Director of the American Life Insurance Company (ALICO) from 1980 until the onset of the Liberian Civil War in 1989, when the company was forced to close and leave the country. Following the country's civil war, Rev. Strother served as Acting Pastor and Principal of the St. Simon Baptist Church and St. Simon Baptist School System in Liberia. Rev. Strother immigrated to the United States in 1999, where he helped establish and work with various churches, and eventually worked for Nevin, Inc. from 2003 until his final days.

Rev. Strother was blessed with six children: three through his marriage to Ms. Elizabeth Brown Kollie (Francis Strother, William Strother of Liberia, and Cyrus Strother, the late Brian T. Strother (Martha of California), Tashina Cheechee Strother of Liberia (the late Gloria Bishop), and Love Francise Strother (Ama Vah of Liberia).

Rev. Strother leaves to mourn several children and extended families, friends and well-wishers including Francis/Frankie Strother (Eden), William Strother of Liberia (Patience), Cyrus Strother, Tashina Strother of Liberia and Love Strother (Alex), 10 Grand Children and two Great Grand Children in the US and around the World. Others are Winston Kollie, Tommy Dillon, Teddy Kollie, George Kollie (Yassah), Johnette Kollie of Liberia (Tapleh), Samuel (Sando) Kollie, Tina Kollie, Tina Seke, Jamesetta Gardner, Solomon Gardner (Valinda) and a host of other relatives and friends.

Appreciation

On behalf of Rev. JohnFrancis Strother and families, we want to express our sincere thanks and Appreciation to the Pastor, Officers and members of West Cabarrus Church for giving us the opportunity to celebrate the life and homegoing of our father. Rev. Sundaygai Scott for officiating the services and other clergy for participating in the home going services of our Father. We also want to give thanks to Grier Funeral Service, to our families and friends for their continuous support, many we cannot name.

Special thanks to Sis. Miatta King, Aunt Jamesetta, Mr. Wesley Morris, Rev. Cecelia Nialou Goffa-Duoe, our friends and families, the Liberian Community through Annie Jones, our co-workers, well-wishers and everybody for their support and contributions.