John W. Stratton III

John W. Stratton III, 71, of LaGrange, passed away peacefully Friday, August 22, 2025, after a courageous battle with cancer. He was born in New Philadelphia, to John W. Stratton, Jr. and Marjorie (nee Sharp) Stratton. He had fond memories of spending time with his parents, his sister, Barbara Elliott (Richard), his brother, Robert 'Bob' Stratton (Jenny), and his aunt, Doris (nee Sharp) Olsen. He later became an uncle to Matthew, Lisa, and Kevin Elliott, and Sam, Sarah, and Beth Stratton. As a young boy, John gravitated towards tools, minibikes, and dune buggies. His passion for engineering and automobiles led him to big block engines and to convert a gas car into an electric car. His first love was his 1971 Chevy Vega. Hours of work and friendship were poured into the Vega, which led John to become a drag racer and avid car show participant. In 1986, John married Tracy (nee Brown) Stratton after she caught his eye and then asked him to dance. He became son-in-law to Tracy E. Brown, brother-in-law to Sandra Almond (Ricky), and an uncle to John Rummage and Rusty Rummage. In 1987, John became a father to Catherine Nicole Lehman (Josh). He spent hours with Nicole teaching skills, playing games, and sharing classic songs. John also loved his dogs, Cocoa, Cruiser, Penny, and Molly, who were his loyal companions. In his retired years, John enjoyed his time working at O'Reilly's, going on fun runs at the Blue Suede Cruise and taking on challenging projects sparked by items found on Facebook Marketplace. What he most looked forward to, however, was Hot Dog Friday with all of the guys. No matter the size of your engine, please rev it today in honor of John Stratton. Memorial gathering will be held Thursday, August 28, 2025, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Busch Funeral Home, 114 Second St., Elyria, 440-322-3717. Celebration of Life to follow at 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked you to consider making a donation to the Junior Achievement of North Central Ohio, https://jaofnco.ja.org/donate/ www.buschcares.com