On September 22, 1998, this profession lost a friend and a living legend. What follows is the eulogy I gave at his funeral services on September 26, 1998.
It was an honor to be asked to do a eulogy for Dr. Strang. He was not just a good man, he was a great man and one of my heroes. To his family and all the thousands that loved and respected him, I offer my condolences on the loss of our close friend.
I am here representing ACA, NCMIC, and most important to me, I am representing myself.
As I was flying to Davenport yesterday, I thought of all the different hats I wear today, and of the different hats Virgil wore as our lives interacted over the years.
My first contact with Dr. Strang was as a student in the mid '60s. I doubt that he knew who I was, but it did not take long for me to know who he was. He quickly became my favorite teacher, a teacher that I learned so much from, as so many thousands have. He taught over 30,000 students, yet he was not as much an instructor as he was a teacher. Those who were in his classes know the difference.
Several years later, in 1995, when I was president of ICA, Dr. Strang was vice president. Together, we worked hard to advance this profession. We had a dream of a united profession and worked toward that goal for three years. During those years, I came to know Virgil as a friend and as a leader. I saw the depth of his love for this profession from a perspective few have had the privilege to see.
When he decided to seek the office of vice president of the ICA, I was honored and in awe that he would be my running mate. He was a man that I and thousands before me held on a pedestal as an icon in the profession.
It was a great honor for me, the profession and ICA that he would serve as vice president. The wisdom and advice he brought to that office was of immeasurable value. Years later, when he became president of Palmer College, I couldn't be happier for him, the college or the profession.
Dr. Strang was a good president, but he will forever be known and remembered as a teacher and educator. That was his passion and his true love. He loved to share his knowledge with his students and see them grow, prosper and use that knowledge to help others.
Dr. Strang was and will go down in history as Mr. philosophy! At Palmer, when we think of philosophy, we think of D.D., B.J., Galen Price and Virgil Strang!
Dr. Strang had a wonderful gift of communicating the chiropractic philosophy in a logical, rational manner that made it a pleasure just to listen to him. While teaching was his passion, it wasn't just teaching, it was teaching chiropractic. He lived, loved and breathed chiropractic.
He had another passion: that of adjusting and caring for his patients. In the last conversation I had with him a month ago at homecoming, he talked about his coming retirement and how he still wanted to take care for some of his patients.
Of all the great things Dr. Strang did in his life, he never bragged. He was a humble man; I never saw his ego get in the way of his message. He rarely talked about himself. He used the word "I" sparingly. I believe one of the things Dr. Strang was so loved for was that he was not "stuck" on himself. He did not go around saying, "I did this" or "I did that." He just served others.
Dr. Virgil Strang was one of the most loved members of our profession. He was a living legend loved by all that knew him. He was a man of unquestionable honor and integrity. I know of no one that did not like and respect him. That's saying something of real value about a man who has influenced thousands upon thousands of lives in a profession with such diverse views.
One of my favorite sayings is, "It's not what happens to you that matters, but what you do about it that really makes the difference." What Dr. Strang did was make a huge difference in the quality of life of millions of people. He did it with class and love, and he was loved and respected in return.
He will be missed, but because of his life and the way he lived it, his actions will continue to serve our profession and the people of the world.
Dr. Strang was Palmer proud, but more importantly, it is because of people like Dr. Virgil V. Strang that we have reason to be Palmer proud. Virgil, on behalf of all here today and the thousands your life has touched, I say, "Thank you!"
Michael D. Pedigo, DC
San Leandro, California
mikepedigo-aol.com
