Paul F. Strueber 1918-2012

STRUEBER, PALEN, LARKIN, DINNEEN, CITRONE, WEBER

Posted By: Judy Nicks (email)
Date: 10/31/2012 at 13:46:16

Paul F. Strueber

10/20/2012

Paul F. Strueber, 94, of 2806 Katrina Circle, died Saturday, October 20, 2012 at home. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Wednesday, October 24, 2012 at The Church of the Resurrection, with the Rev. Joseph Hauer officiating. Friends may call from 4 to 7 pm Tuesday at the Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Westview Funeral Home and Crematory, 2659 Kennedy Road where there will be a parish wake service at 7 pm. Burial will be in Mt. Calvary Cemetery where military rites will be accorded by the Dubuque Marine Corps League.

Paul was born September 22, 1918 in Dubuque, son of Edwin P. and Flossie (Palen) Strueber who died in 1920 of the Spanish Flu. He was a graduate of St. Patricks Grade School in 1932, a graduate of Columbia Academy in 1936, and a graduate Cum Laude of Loras College in 1940. During his student years, he was active in the Loras drama department and played clarinet in the original Dubuque Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Professor Schroeder. He also played the piano for friends and the organ for funeral services.

In the fall of 1940 he entered the Cincinnati College of Embalming, graduating in 1941. He enlisted as an Aviation Cadet in the U.S. Naval Air Corps, representing the first contingent from the State of Iowa to serve in the Naval Air Corps, known as the Iowa Kernels. After graduating from the Naval Flight School, Corpus Christi, Texas, he taught Celestial Navigation there for 11 months. He was then ordered to active duty in the South Pacific. While serving in the Navy Air Corps he earned the Good Conduct Medal, ATO ribbon PTO Ribbon, the Navy Unit Citation and the Victory Medal. After returning in 1945 from his tour of duty in the South Pacific where he served as a navigator and Lieutenant in the Naval Air Corps he served as Commander of the VFW.

Upon leaving the service, in 1946, he married Janice N. Larkin in St. Patricks Church, Dubuque, in 1946, with whom he fathered five children; David F., Nancy A., Thomas G., Jean M., and Richard C.

After having previously passed the test for Embalmers and Funeral Directors in the State of Iowa, he was associated with the Strueber Funeral Home until 1952. In 1952 he began successful employment with Sears Roebuck moving to Chicago, Ill. From there he was promoted and transferred to Atlanta, Georgia to head the fabric purchasing department. After 20 years with Sears, he retired and returned with his family to Dubuque to become the owner/manager of the Strueber Funeral Home, which his father, Edwin F. Strueber had built and run since 1933. In 1979 he sold the funeral home building to the VNA and became associated with the Egelhof, Casper, Strueber Funeral Home until his retirement.

Janice Stueber died suddenly on July 1, 1973 at home.

On August 10, 1974 he married June E. Dinneen in St. Anthonys Church, Dubuque. The couple were members of Sacred Heart, St. Anthonys, Nativity and Resurrection Catholic Church.

In addition to serving on many committees of charitable organizations, he was elected to the Dubuque Community School District Board of Directors from 1976 to 1982, serving as its president in 1979-1980. In 1996 he received a 50 year membership pin from the Catholic Order of Foresters.
Surviving are his second wife, June; three sons, David F. (Pam), and Thomas G. (Denise), both of Dallas, Texas and Richard C. (Marianne) of Surprise, Arizona; two daughters, Nancy A. (Peter) Citrone of Brookfield, Connecticut and Jean M. (Mark) Weber of Dubuque; one step son, Stephen L. (Edie) Dinneen of Prescott, Arizona; nine grandchildren, a step grandchild, five great-grandchildren, and two step great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of Dubuque or a charity of your choice.

On line condolences may be sent to www.egelhofsiegertcasper.com