Matthew James Stroy

 Matthew J Stroy was born September 11, 1941 as the youngest of six to LC Stroy, Jr, a postal worker and Celia Mae Johnson Stroy, a house cleaner in Vivian, LA. Growing in the small town of Vivian, he didn’t see a lot of growth among blacks. He wanted to do more with his life and his love for music inspired him to move and attend college. During the summers he worked different jobs, while his mother took on extra homes to earn money for tuition. After graduating from Herndon High School in 1959, he enrolled in Grambling State University becoming the first black man from Vivian to attend college. While at Grambling he was a part of the World Famed Tiger Marching Band, where he played tuba. He later taught himself to play saxophone.  While in school he married his college sweetheart, Katherine Stephens and had two children at this time.  He was drafted in the United States Air Force in 1965, and was honorably discharged with the rank of Sergeant. After the military, he went back to school and received his Bachelors of Arts degree in Music Education in 1972, becoming the first in his family to have a college education and degree. Matthew is the father to 4 children, 3 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.