"In hearing this sad news, I am also flooded with memories: Mr. Strub as our Counselor at Malcolm Price Lab School, as my NUHS basketball coach, as a dad driving us girls around, and other Strub family memories being friends with Lisa. After Mr. Strub?s amazing life, I hope the Strub family knows God?s peace during this time of loss."
In loving memory of
Richard (Dick) Frederick Strub
June 5, 1935 - January 3, 2025
Richard (Dick) Frederick Strub, 89, of Ames, IA passed away on January 3, 2025 surrounded by family.
Dick was born on June 5, 1935 in Merrill, Iowa to Joseph and Marie Ann (Larson) Strub, one of twelve children. He grew up on a farm and attended a one room country school through eighth grade before graduating from Merrill High School in 1952. After high school he attended and graduated from what is now the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. Prior to his senior year at UNI, he married Elizabeth (Betty) Hamman on August 11, 1956. After graduating in May of 1957, they moved to Rock Rapids, Iowa where he began his career in teaching, coaching and school counseling. He completed his Master's Degree in School Counseling at the University of Northern Colorado in the summer of 1961. He was a letter winner on UNI basketball and baseball teams, a member of The "I" Club, the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity and the Newman Club.
In the fall of 1964, Dick, Betty and their four daughters returned to Cedar Falls and the UNI campus. There he served for twenty-nine years as a school counselor at the university's Malcolm Price Laboratory School and a member of the UNI Department of Counselor Education teaching faculty. In 1974, he completed the Doctor of Counseling and Psychology in Education at the University of South Dakota. Dick was an active member and leader in the Iowa Personnel and Guidance Association throughout his career. He had a special interest in assisting all students to become their best selves, encouraging equal access to education and inclusive cross cultural learning environments. He later focused on recruiting and mentoring diverse underrepresented communities into the field of teaching. His focus as a school counselor allowed all students to explore careers that excited and engaged them.
Dick and Betty retired from UNI to their lake home, on Kabekona Lake near Walker, MN, where they lived for 29 years. His passion was spending time with his wife and extended family. He enjoyed the many Laporte/Walker area friendships that developed over the years, and felt extremely fortunate to have been associated with, and influenced by, so many exceptional people.
His lifelong interests included golf, baseball, basketball as an athlete, coach and for pure enjoyment of sports. In retirement he continued to serve his community through Saint Agnes Catholic Church, Habitat for Humanity, Faith in Action, Ag-gwah-Ching and on the Hubbard County Planning Commission/Board of Adjustment.
Dick and Betty moved to Ames in the fall of 2017 to be close to family. The greatest influence on his life has been Betty, four daughters, their spouses, eleven grandchildren and fourteen great grandchildren. The four generations in his immediate family made for a wonderful life with many treasured memories.
Dick was preceded in death by his parents, siblings: Maxine, Jean, Marjorie, Helen, Mary, Neil, Robert, Steven, James, Donald, Eugene. He is survived by his loving wife of 69 years, Betty of Ames, daughters: Cathy (Leroy) Brown of Ames, IA, Beth (Glenn) Goldman of Tenafly, NJ, Becky (Rick) Love of Colorado Springs, CO and Lisa (Michelle) Strub of Oregon, WI, sister-in-law Nancy Strub, 11 grandchildren: DJ (Katherine) Brown, Casey (Kayla) Brown, Aaron Goldman, Nathan (Christiana) Goldman, Jacob (Audrey) Goldman, Joseph Love, Kelli (Chris) Archibeque, Matthew Love, Michael Love, Ryan (Danielle) Vilmain, and Megan (Terrance) Watts and 14 great-grandchildren: Harrison, Coleman, Talia, Rafi, Shira, Evan, Sonny, Charlie, Quinn, Sawyer, Natalie, Aiden, Elise, Nova and the anticipated birth of Grayson.
Dick and Betty wish to have family and friends celebrate their lives together at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to The Alzheimer's Association, https://www.alz.org/iowa or a charity of your choosing.
Arrangements are entrusted to Grandon Cremation and Funeral Home of Ames, IA. Online condolences for the family may be given at: www.grandonfuneralandcremationcare.com
Tributes
"Dick was instrumental in helping me with adjusting to college life away from my own family because he made me feel at home. As a college roommate to Becky, both Dick and Betty gave me a ?second family? to hold on to while missing my family during college times. My sympathies to all the Strub family. Dick was an amazing person with a beautiful and kind family!"