Edward Strickland was born on May 7, 1992, at St. Joseph Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas, to Renee Strickland and Rodney Smith.

From a young age, Edward always loved the water and swimming, and in high school, he was a member of the swim team. He especially enjoyed being in the pool and carried with him cherished memories of a childhood trip to Florida spent near the water. As a child, he was humorous and goofy, always trying to make everyone around him laugh.

Edward loved his work as an arborist, especially climbing trees in the San Fierro Mountains of California, where he was always in awe of the giant pines. When Crohn’s disease changed the course of his life, he shifted into another passion: riding motorcycles. He became a very skilled rider, and people often came to him for advice; he also regularly asked others for guidance because he always wanted to be the best he could be in everything he did. During this time, Edward’s deep spiritual curiosity led him to spend time reading about many different religions, and he affectionately referred to Sunday mornings at the biker coffee shop as his ‘biker church.’ He loved to travel and take long road trips on his bike, relaxing with video games where his competitive spirit always came out, and spending time with his beloved huskies, Emerald, Azora, and Kari, whom he loved as family. Edward shared an eight-year union with his spouse, Coley Gassaway.

Edward Strickland departed this life on May 20, 2026, and was preceded in death by his grandmother. He leaves to cherish his memory his spouse, Coley Gassaway; mother, Renee Strickland; father, Rodney Smith; brother, Lucas Strickland; sister, Kaylei Scholl; and a host of brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, friends, and relatives.

A service will be held on Sunday, June 14, 2026, at Golden Gate Funeral & Cremation Services LLC. 2800 E. 18th Street, KCMO 64127. The visitation will begin at 12:00-1:00 pm, with the service to follow promptly at 1:00 pm.