Melford ""Mel"" Lien Strand M.D.

Melford ""Mel"" Lien Strand M.D. 79, of Scottsdale, Arizona and Lone Tree, Colorado passed away peacefully on January 9^th, 2020. Mel was born August 15, 1940 to parents Clarence Melford and Eunice (Lien) Strand. He was raised in Westby, WI where he enjoyed a variety of sports including ski jumping, baseball and football. He attended the University of Wisconsin, where he played 3^rd base and was captain of the baseball team. He was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity where he met the love of his life at a sorority exchange. He and Cindy were married in August 1964 while he was attending the University of Iowa Medical School. Dr. Mel Strand served in the First Infantry Division, the 101^st Airborne, and the First Air Cavalry as a Captain in the Medical Corps during the Vietnam War. Mel treated fighter pilots suffering hemorrhagic shock and found that he loved the specialty of anesthesiology. He returned home to complete a medical internship at Sacramento County Hospital followed by a two-year anesthesiology residency at the University of Colorado Medical Center. He later taught as an assistant clinical Professor for four years before going into private practice in 1976, as a board-certified anesthesiologist. Mel was beloved by all the doctors and nurses he worked with at Presbyterian St Luke's, Aurora North, Denver General and other Denver area hospitals until his retirement in 2005. He enjoyed attending his grandchildren's sporting events, spring training baseball, RODEO ""Retired Old Doctors Eating Out"" and dinners with friends and family. He is survived by his daughters: Susan (Douglas) Tymins, Kristin (Steve) Rooney and Erin (Bob) Moser; and his siblings: Daniel Strand and Jane Polachek. Mel was adored by his eight grandchildren: Austin, Griffen, Megan, Madison, Macyn, Reid, Jack and Chase. He has been welcomed to heaven and into the open arms of his loving wife, Cynthia Ann Strand. He will be laid to rest with full military honors beside Cindy at Fort Logan National Cemetery.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30am on Friday, February 7, 2020 at Cherry Hills Community Church in the Dixon Chapel, 3900 Grace Blvd, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126. To celebrate Mel's love of his alma mater, The University of Wisconsin, his children ask that you incorporate the color red into your attire for his memorial service.

Please give your condolences to the Strand family.

Memorial Service: February 7, 2020 10:30 am

Cherry Hills Community Church
3900 Grace Blvd.
Highlands Ranch, CO 80126
(303) 791-4100
https://chcc.org

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