CONCORDVILLE, PA. – Robert W. “Bob” Stroble died Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, at the Maris Grove senior living community at the age of 92.
Born in Tarentum, Pa., to Carl J. and Amanda Beaudette Stroble in 1931, he grew up in the Tarentum, Natrona Heights, and Mount Lebanon communities near Pittsburgh, Pa. He graduated from Mount Lebanon High School in 1949 and the Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) in 1953. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity at Tech.
He was predeceased by his parents; his brother, Carl P. Stroble; and his wife, Shirley Ann O’Hara Stroble, to whom he was married for 69 years.
He is survived by two sons, Dave Stroble and wife Stephanie Stroble of Burlington, N.C., and Jeff Stroble and wife Lea Purcell of Kennett Square, Pa.; step-grandsons Chris Cooper and wife Valerie Detweiler of Key West, Fla., and Henry Sells and wife Ashley Sells of Virginia Beach, Va., and step-granddaughter Sam Erks and husband Eric Erks of Burlington, N.C.; and two nephews and three nieces.
After their marriage in Pittsburgh the Strobles also lived in Newark, N.J., Castle Shannon, Pa., Wilmington, Del., Birmingham, Ala., Kingwood, Texas, and Clermont, Fla., before moving to Maris Grove.
Bob spent his career as a metallurgist in the steel industry, beginning with U.S. Steel at the Homestead Steel Works in Pittsburgh. He went on to be chief metallurgist for Phoenix Steel Corp. in Claymont, Del., then worked for Astralloy Steel Products in Birmingham before returning to a post with U.S. Steel in Texas.
A lifelong handyman, Bob was a woodworker who built several pieces of furniture, and he also fired ceramics in his home workshop. After retiring to Florida the Strobles went to Rehoboth Beach, Del., to vacation with the same set of couples every Labor Day week for more than 25 years.
Bob and Shirley were founding members of the Church of the Holy Child Catholic Church in Wilmington and rejoined the parish when they came back to Concordville.
His family is thankful for the caring and compassion of the staff of Rose Court at Maris Grove and of Willow Tree Hospice Care.
The family will hold a private Mass of Christian Burial followed by interment at Saint Joseph on the Brandywine cemetery in Greenville, Del.
Memorial donations may be made to Church of the Holy Child, 2500 Naamans Road, Wilmington, DE 19810; Maris Grove Resident Care Fund, 200 Maris Grove Way, Glen Mills, PA 19342; or The Ministry of Caring, 115 E. 14th St., Wilmington, DE 19801
