Hello to all. Many of you may remember Dale G. Strong, at one time the SFAA Associate Historian for "Irish" Strongs. Sadly, I just learned that Dale passed away at his home in Cassatt, South Carolina, this past week. Dale was well into his 80's and had lived a long and interesting life. Born in Morgan County, Ohio, he was descended from a family of Strongs which emigrated from County Donegal, Ireland in the period from 1820 to about 1835. Members of his family went variously to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and to St. John, New Brunswick, and then rejoined in Ohio, where they homesteaded in Morgan County. Members of the family fought in the US Civil War, became newspaper publishers, school teachers, and prospered in many ways. Dale became an agriculture specialist, having gained a Master's Degree early in life. He served in Pakistan as an Agricultural Advisor working for the US government during the 60's. In his retirement, he and his late wife Fern chose to live in South Carolina, and a number of their adult children and grandchildren reside there today. In the early 1980's Dale traveled to Ireland, researching his family roots. As a result, he wrote a book about "The Descendants of John Strong and Martha Watson of Drumhome Parish, County Donegal", which has been a source of much data and information to me and other researchers of the Donegal Strongs. He passed much information and gave a great deal of guidance and inspiration to me. While we were never able to prove it, I am sure we were distant cousins. Last year we had the pleasure to visit Dale and Fern in their home and reminise about many aspects of life in general. They were getting on in years, but were as feisty as I had remembered from years past. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Unfortunately, not long after we saw them, Fern passed away, and now Dale has joined her. They were good friends to me, and I shall miss them. His family will be taking Dale's ashes to Ohio this next weekend and will be placing them in the family cemetery, beside Fern, as he desired. If a more complete obituary comes my way, I shall endeavor to pass it along. Regretfully, Dave Strong