We are sad to report that COL (Ret) Eloise Brown Strand, OT, died Oct 27, 2021. She was 92. Her body rests at Arlington National Cemetery. Our sincere condolences to her family.
COL Strand was commissioned into the Army in 1956 and served in the most challenging positions that the Army Medical Specialist Corps had to offer.
- Served as the 8th Chief of the Occupational Therapist Section
- Made history in 1978 as the first Occupational Therapist to be appointed to the position of AMSC Corps Chief
- Awarded the “A” Professional designation, the Army Surgeon General’s award for professional excellence
COL Strand married Michael W. Strand in Monterey, California, on July 28, 1972. She retired from the Army in 1982, after serving for 26 years.
COL Strand was born in Stamford Connecticut, but lived much of her childhood in Bedford County, VA. She graduated from High school in Bedford, VA in 1946. She obtained her BS degree in Home Economics from Virginia State University. She earned a Certificate in Occupational Therapy from the University of Pennsylvania, a Masters in Occupational Therapy from New York University, and a Masters in Healthcare Administration from Baylor University. She was a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association.
After her retirement, COL Strand worked part-time at the American Occupational Therapy Association as the International Program Manager from 1986 to 1999. She also served on the Admissions Committee at the School of Allied Health Services, Occupational Therapy Program, Howard University. She was a Deacon at Celebration Church in Columbia, Maryland. She was an active member of her community, contributing numerous hours to multiple community and military related organizations. Of particular note was her service to Montgomery Hospice where she served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors and was named as a “Life Director.” COL Strand enjoyed spare time activities including reading, crafts, going to the theater, frequenting flea markets, and skiing as she was an avid skier.
