STRAHL, Eric R.

The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona Saturday, November 06, 2010 Eric R. (Strahl) Olds, scholar, outdoorsman, defense instructor, Force Recon Marine, passed away June 28, 2010, in Prescott, Ariz. Mr. Olds was born Aug. 5, 1953, to chemical engineer William E. Strahl and noted psychiatrist Dr. Margaret Olds Strahl of Pelham Manor, N.Y. He was a scholar athlete in prep school, graduating near the top of his class and attending Cornell University where he studied biology and excelled in crew. An avid outdoorsman, Mr. Olds left Cornell to work with the Peregrine Fund in Ithaca, N.Y., and Fort Collins, Colo., during early efforts to restore populations of the endangered Peregrine falcon. He spent much of 1973 exploring the high arctic of Alaska, kayaking from May to October down the remote Colville River and into the Beaufort Sea, ending at Point Barrow. This led to Mr. Olds' lifelong passion for Arctic exploration and an extensive library of rare first-edition volumes on the subject, which spanned two centuries. After his father's untimely death in 1974, attributed to PTSD from WWII combat service, Mr. Olds enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Declining officer candidate opportunities, he served two tours, achieving combat certification in scuba, Airborne, Ranger and HALO schools, while advancing to Platoon Sergeant in 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, and the elite 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company, 2nd FSSG and serving in a variety of undisclosed locations. Admired by his troops, Eric was a scholar of military history and tactics, with an enviable library ranging from Clausewitz and Sun Tzu to the present day. For most of the past 25 years, Eric dedicated his life to instructing in armed and unarmed combat and weapons use, mostly at the Gunsite Academy in Paulden, Ariz. His clients included Marines, Navy SEALS, Special Forces and other troops as well as security personnel and private citizens from around the U.S. and abroad. He was an accomplished writer, working over the years as associate editor for SWAT magazine, and as a freelance screenwriter among whose more memorable credits include the action scenes for "Uncommon Valor" and other films. He is survived by his aunt, Eliese S. Cutler of Pittsburgh, Pa.; his brother, Dr. Stuart D. Strahl of Clarendon Hills, Ill.; and three loving nieces, Linda, Danielle and Margaret. Eric was a donor advocate for the Wounded Warrior Project (www.woundedwarriorproject.org), and his family asks that memorial contributions be directed in his memory to that organization in lieu of flowers. A celebration of Mr. Olds' life will be noon on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010, at the VA Chapel in Prescott, Ariz. Please visit www.hamptonfuneralhome.com to sign Eric's guestbook. Hampton Funeral Home assisted the family. Information provided by survivors.