April 18, 1948 �" December 20, 2015
Gregg Stratton was a devoted lover, partner, soul mate, constant companion, husband, �" you name it �" to Wally Bowman for over 39 years. Since April 2015, he had been battling a rare form of cancer under the guidance of one the most remarkable and amazing teams in the UCSF Oncology Department at Mission Bay. It is with a great deal of disbelief and sadness that, despite the heroic efforts of both Gregg and his team, his journey on this planet came to an end on Sunday, December 20, 2015.
Gregg was born the son of Herbert and Helen Stratton in Visalia, California. He spent his childhood near the ocean in Shell Beach, California, from the time he was 4, until he transferred to UCLA from Cal Poly. He spent his younger years body surfing at Avila Beach during the summers, and playing with his best friend who lived right up the street. He came from a family of avid readers and Gregg was no exception. He graduated from UCLA with a degree in computer mathematics.
After college, he joined the Peace Corps and taught math in Ghana for three years. Upon returning to the U.S., Gregg followed several of his Peace Corps friends to the Bay Area to begin a new chapter in his life.
Gregg was a successful software consultant, working for many local and foreign companies over the years. Gregg volunteered his computer expertise to help organize the first Gay Games in San Francisco, and even wrote a computer advice column in the San Francisco Chronicle . Gregg was humble, generous, and lived his life with great integrity. He will be remembered by his many friends and family for his infectious laughter and as a most remarkable, loving, giving, and beautiful man.
In recent years, Gregg could be found most Saturday mornings volunteering in the kitchen at Project Open Hand helping prepare meals for those who were homebound.
From the moment he met Gregg in 1976, Wally knew that there could never be another man that would make him feel so happy and complete, and someone he wanted to share a life with �" 39 years and those feelings never changed! They were still in love and devoted to one another and continued to feel joy and pride to be in each other's presence, and to experience the fun, happiness, honor, and respect of their relationship. Together, they were most proud of their beautiful home, their many travels at home and abroad, and most of all, their families and the many loving friends they had garnered over the years. They were able to marry in 2013, at the Napa home of long-time friends, Lonnie and Bruce Payne-Clark, when marriage equality became legal.
Gregg is preceded in death by his parents, Herbert and Helen Stratton. He is survived by his husband, Wally Bowman; sisters Harriet Stratton Morelan and Helen Stratton Hubenthal and husband Fred; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
A memorial will be held Saturday, April 16, at 11 a.m. at Swedenborgian Church, 2107 Lyon Street, in San Francisco. Donations in Gregg's memory can be made to your personal charity, or one of Gregg's charities: Project Open Hand, Open House, Maitri, the National AIDS Memorial Grove, and/or Horizons Foundation.