Beryl Granval Strong

Beryl Granval Strong, age 92, passed away September 11th, 2023.  Beryl had a brilliant, calculating business mind and his life passion was his work.

Beryl was born in New Gulf and raised in Liberty, Texas. These were company towns revolving around Texas Gulf Sulphur plants and tight knit communities. He maintained life long friendships with the with the children of his father's colleagues who also grew up in those towns. Beryl graduated from Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas. While in college he had a summer job building the set for the blockbuster movie, The Giant, and made it on to the big screen riding a horse across the screen in the opening credits. Upon graduation he accepted a job as a claims adjuster in El Paso with Maryland Casualty Insurance.  After one day of work, they requested that he transfer to their Albuquerque office. Once he reached Albuquerque, he settled in and began buying real estate.  Never liking having a boss, he ultimately started his own private claim adjustment firm which he ran for several years until he retired at 42 to manage his growing real estate portfolio. He continued to work long days until his brief hospitalization and unexpected passing. The only break he ever took was spending time at his vacation homes in Carefree, AZ and Ft. Walton Beach, FL.

Beryl met his wife, Jo Lynn, in 1957 at the Hitching Post nightclub where she was attending the bachelorette party of a coworker.  They married in 1960 and had their daughter, Suzanne, seven years later. Jo Lynn was his constant shadow, business partner, and loving companion throughout their 63-year marriage. He taught his daughter to be business minded and to be nice to people and keep a smile on your face no matter how the world treated you.

He was a loyal friend and had many friendships spanning 50+ years.

In addition to his wife and daughter, he is survived by his much-loved baby brother, George and wife, Gayla of Tucson, AZ; sister-in-Law, Brenda of Spurger, TX; beloved nephews, Ron Strong (Azalia), and Geoffrey Strong; beloved nieces, Rachael Rogers (Danny) and Gillian Algar (Josh); in addition to great nieces and nephews and close cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents Elmer Beryl and Anna; and beloved brother, Raymond (who he had called Buver since Raymond was born when Beryl was four years of age).

The family has elected to grieve in private but would welcome any condolences or remembrances for Beryl at www.FrenchFunerals.com or granval505@aol.com.  Jo Lynn and Suzanne greatly appreciate the outpouring of heart-felt sympathy and love they have received and continue to be amazed by the abundance of kindness.