Donald Strube

Donald Walter Strube, age 91, Watertown, WI was born to eternity on Friday, May 1, 2015.Donald was the son of Edward and Adela (Schaetzel) Strube and was born in Milwaukee, WI on October 15, 1923.  He married his high school sweetheart, Alice B. A. Leverson on Oct. 24, 1942 in Milwaukee.  She said he was the noisiest boy she ever knew, and that was part of his charm. Don and Alice owned the Red Apple Antiques in Watertown for 26 years.  Don also worked for Ladish Company in Cudahy, WI for 42 years.    He served in WWII with the U.S. Air Corps as Tech Sergeant - Chief Airplane and Engine Mechanic Gunner receiving an Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, EAME Ribbon with four Bronze stars.  On one of his 36 bombing missions, he and his crewmates crash landed on an airstrip that was abandoned by the Germans only one week earlier. Don was MIA for 64 days. Unbeknownst to his wife Alice, he and his crewmates survived the crash and were picked up by Russian soldiers. Don is survived by his children, Dennis (Marcia) Strube, Alan Strube, Karen (Joe) Chadwick, Janet (Mark Lukas) Strube, Mark Strube and Barbara (Dan) Sterwald; grandchildren, Kim (Scott) Fuller, Bill (Karin) Strube, Megan Strube and Thomas Strube; great-grandchildren Hannah, Abigail and Victoria Fuller.  He is preceded in death by his wife, Alice, his parents, son David, 5 sisters, and one brother. Don had a tremendous zest for the outdoors and fishing and instilled that same love to his children. Precious summer vacations were spent in Door County at Clark Lake where the family enjoyed swimming, hiking and three fishing "shifts" a day. His greatest gifts in life were the time and love he gave to his family.  If he could get up every day and work hard, have eggs and bacon and sip a good cup of coffee, listen to the robins in spring and enjoy the trees in his yard, he felt like the luckiest man in the world.  Visitation will be Wednesday, May 6, 10:00 am at Schmutzler-Vick Funeral Home in Watertown.  Service immediately following at 10:30 am with the Chaplain Nick Slater of Shorehaven Lutheran Homes of Oconomowoc officiating.  Memorials will go to the Cancer Research Center.

Visitation

Wednesday, May 6, 2015 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Schmutzler-Vick Funeral Home & Cremation Service
500 Welsh Road Watertown 53098, United States

Service

Wednesday, May 6, 2015 10:30 AM
Schmutzler-Vick Funeral Home & Cremation Service
500 Welsh Road Watertown 53098, United States