Nicholas Louis Strike, 80, a nationally known civic, church and business leader, died Monday, December 30, 1996 in Brentwood, California. Cause of death was complications due to Alzheimer's Disease.
He was born September 22, 1916 in Salt Lake City, the oldest child of Greek immigrant parents, Louis Nicholas Strike and Christina Chipian Strike. He attended Stanford University and graduated form Westminster College and the University of Utah. He served as a Westminster Trustee for 16 years.In 1939 and 1940, he traveled the country as National President of the Sons of Pericles, an organization for young men of Greek descent. His son Louis, followed in his footsteps in 1965. They are the only father son team to do so.
As a former Navy officer, he served in the South Pacific during World War II. He achieved the rank of Commander. While a young enlisted Navy officer, he was erroneously drafted by the Army and was required to report to Boot Camp. This simultaneous double duty was a first in U.S. Military history and received national coverage. He returned to the Navy, served his duty and remained in the Naval Reserve.
In 1942, he married Lucy Praggastis of Bingham Canyon with whom he had four children. After the war, he returned to Salt Lake. From 1946 to 1972, with the efforts of his brothers, John and George, they owned and managed Ajax Presses and Laundry Machinery Co., an invention of their father's.
During those years, he held numerous civic, church and business positions. In 1962, Ajax was awarded the coveted U.S. Presidential "E" for Export Award as the first Utah business to be exported internationally. He was president of both the Utah Manufacturer's Association, 1968-69 and the World Trade Association of Utah. He served on the Board of Directors of both the National Laundry and Dry Cleaners Association and the Allied Trades Association. He served as president of the Salt Lake YMCA and vice president of the Salt Lake City Rotary where he had twenty years of perfect attendance. He was a member of the Board of Governors of the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce. He was a lifetime member of the Masonic Order and a Shriner.
As a result of his civic involvement, he was drafted by the Republican party of Utah to run for governor in 1972. His four children, Aileen, Louis, Cynthia and Pamela all returned home to campaign with him. After his defeat, he became president of American Resources and Management.
All of his life, he was a devout member of the Greek Orthodox Church where he served as Parish President. The Archdiocese of the Greek Orthodox Churches of North and South America bestowed upon him the honor of Archon in the Order of St. Andrew. It is the highest honor given to a lay member of the Greek Orthodox Church.
In 1980, he pursued his lifetime dream to become national president of the Order of AHEPA, the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association. It is the largest Greek organization in North America. Its 50,000 members are dedicated to preserving Hellenic culture, athletics, scholarships and the value of family, church and ethnic pride. He served as president in 1987-88 and as such, was actively involved in U.S. policy with both Greece and Cyprus. He also served on the national committee for the restoration of Ellis Island through which both his parents passed.
Most important of all, he had a wife, four children and 12 grandchildren whom he adored and who loved him very much. He was widowed in 1979. He is survived by his siblings: Kay Politis, John Strike and George Strike; his children: Aileen Strike Preonas and George Preonas, Santa Monica, CA; Louis Nicholas Strike and Pam Paulos Strike, Cincinnati, OH; Cynthia Strike Petrow and George Petrow, Greenwich, CT; Pamela Strike Fullerton and David Fullerton, Piedmont, CA; his grandchildren, Annemarie, Michael and Stephen Preonas; Nicholas, Peter and Paulos Strike; Lucy, Eleni and Madeline Petrow; and John, Anastasia and George Fullerton.
Funeral services will be held Friday, January 3, at 11 a.m. at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 279 South 300 West. Friends may call at Larkin Mortuary, 260 East South Temple, Thursday night 6-8 p.m., prayer service 7:30 p.m. Burial Mt. Olivet Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church Building Fund, 5335 South Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah 84117, or the Alzheimer's Association, 455 East 400 South, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111.
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