CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — Thomas Anthony Strausbaugh, 61, of Carl Junction, Mo., died Wednesday, July 20, 2011, at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, Mo.

He was born Feb. 10, 1950, in Parsons and moved to the Joplin area in 1962. He was a 1968 graduate of Joplin Senior High School and served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.

Mr. Strausbaugh received his certification in refrigeration from Franklin Technical School and worked at AAA Refrigeration from 1972 to 1986. He then worked 17 years for Thermal Engineering until 2003. He loved playing Santa Claus at Wal-Mart, where he also worked as a greeter since 2004. A member of Community of Christ, he was an ordained deacon and currently served on the Building Finance Committee. He had lived in Carl Junction since 1974.

On June 23, 1973, he married Linda S. Coble in Joplin. She survives.

Other survivors include three children, Tamara Sue Strausbaugh of Carl Junction, Thomas James Strausbaugh of Webb City and Steven Anthony Strausbaugh and his wife, Beth, of Webb City; his father, Lawrence J. Strausbaugh of Joplin; six grandchildren, Bailey, Kaden, Parker, Mykah, Kaybree, James; and a brother, Greg Strausbaugh and his wife, Paula, of Joplin.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Marjorie Strausbaugh; and a sister, Nancy Anderson.

The service will be 10 a.m. Saturday at Community of Christ with Pastor Steve Hicks and Lester Lay officiating. Burial will follow at Ozark Memorial Park Cemetery with military honors. The family will receive friends from 6 to 7 p.m. today at Parker Mortuary in Joplin.

Memorial contributions may be made to Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative for cancer research.