Bishop Joseph Edward Strickland was born the sixth child of Raymond and Monica Strickland on October 31, 1958 in Fredericksburg, Texas and relocated to Atlanta, TX in June of 1963. The Strickland’s were founding members of St. Catherine of Sienna Church in Atlanta, Texas. He entered Holy Trinity Seminary and the University of Dallas; studying for the Diocese of Dallas in August of 1977, and earned a Bachelor of Philosophy in May of 1981.

He continued his education at Holy Trinity and the University of Dallas and his Master of Divinity Degree in May of 1985 and was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Dallas on June 1, 1985. He was assigned as a newly ordained priest to Immaculate Conception Church in Tyler, Texas in June of 1985 and upon the erection of the Diocese of Tyler on February 24, 1987, he joined the presbyterate of the new diocese and was named the first vocation director for the diocese in March of 1987 by Bishop Charles Herzig.

He completed his canonical studies with a Licentiate in Canon Law in May of 1994 and was assigned by Bishop Edmond Carmody as rector of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Tyler, Texas in June of that same year. He continued to serve as rector of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and Judicial Vicar of the diocese until February 1, 2010 when Bishop Corrada named him Vicar General. He served in that capacity until September of 2011 when Bishop Corrada was installed as the second Bishop of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico and appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Tyler sede vacante.

On September 29, 2012 it was announced that His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI had chosen him as the Fourth Bishop of the Diocese of Tyler. He was ordained to the episcopacy on November 28, 2012.