Services for Donna Strobel, 67, longtime wrestling leader, set for February 6 in Bethlehem, Pa.
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by Strobel family, and USA Wrestling
Portrait of Donna Strobel courtesy of the Strobel family. Photo of Donna and Greg Strobel at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame induction by Larry Slater.
Services and memorial contribution information have been set for Donna Strobel of Bethlehem, Pa., 67, longtime employee for the U.S. Wrestling Officials Association and a leader in the sport, who passed away last week.
Donna is the wife of Hall of Fame inductee Greg Strobel, a past USA Wrestling staff member and currently USA Wrestling’s Second Vice President.
USA Wrestling extends its sincere condolences to the Strobel family, as well as Donna’s many friends and colleagues across the nation.
“Our thoughts go out to Greg, his daughters Christina and Jennifer, and their entire family. Donna’s passing was a huge loss to the entire wrestling community. Her contributions throughout the years have been significant, both as a USA Wrestling staff member and a leader with the U.S. Wrestling Officials Association. The wrestling community will miss her joyful presence. Donna was a dear friend to many of us in the sport, and we are all saddened by her loss,” said USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender.
“She was so close to the officials. She ran the organization for so many years. She was always respected. Donna and Greg have always been a part of my life. It is hard to put into words what she meant to the organization and to me. When I heard about it, it was like losing a member of my family. Donna knew wrestling. She knew people. She always had an open mind. She allowed me to express my thoughts, frustrations and concerns. She would give me the most valuable advice I could get. It was based upon my love for her and her love for me. I am going to miss her,” said Rick Tucci, president of the U.S. Wrestling Officials Association.
“I knew Donna and Greg since 1982. I babysat their kids back in Stillwater, Okla. when they worked with USA Wrestling. Greg was one of my coaches in my corner when I competed. My wife Linda and I have known Donna and Greg for so long. She was loved in the wrestling community and was involved for so many years. It was a shock to me. It is sad to lose someone who meant so much to so many people,” said Bruce Baumgartner, USA Wrestling President.
The official obituary from the family is below.
Donna M. (Chandler) Strobel
January 26, 1952 ~ January 12, 2020 (age 67)
Donna M. Strobel, 67, of Bethlehem, passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 12, 2020 surrounded by her loving family, while in the care of St. Luke’s Hospice House. She was the loving wife of Greg Strobel with whom she shared over 45 years of wonderful marriage. Born in Portland, Oregon, she was the daughter of the late Leo and Barbara (Graham) Chandler. Donna was a graduate of Marshall High School in Portland, OR, class of 1970. She went on to attend Oregon State University. She attended Grace Church in Bethlehem.
Donna was the owner of the Calico Cupboard in Roseburg, OR, featuring handsewn fabric and specialty gift shop items where she also offered sewing classes. She later worked for the USA Wrestling Officials Association where she was the “life and success” of the USWOA. She was a trusted advisor, always cheerful, and passionately sincere to all that she interacted with during her tenure. She had a very good sense of reading people and her smile could be seen through the phone.
Donna was the consummate entertainer and enjoyed every detail of planning family gatherings, celebrations and wrestling team dinners. She traveled the globe with Greg, including as a volunteer for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. She was an avid scrapbooker, compiling countless memories of her travels to one of her favorite places on Earth, Cape Cod, and beyond. She loved spending time with her husband on the front porch “whittling”, playing her favorite (and only) card game Rummy, spending quality time with her daughters and cherishing every moment with her grandkids. She was My Donna, Our Mom, Our Grandmom, Sister, and Mrs. Coach to hundreds of Greg’s wrestlers. She will forever be adored, loved, admired, and missed.
Survivors: In addition to her loving husband Greg, daughters Jennifer Baldwin and her husband Robert of West Chester and Christine Napoli and her husband Joe of Drexel Hill; sister Linda Hirneise and her husband Dave of Scottsdale, AZ; brother Donald Chandler and his wife Sherry of Keizer, OR; loving grandchildren Mason, Isabel, Evelyn and Hayden and her loving nephews and niece, Donnie Chandler, Grant Hirneise and Heather Chandler.
Services: A Celebration of Donna’s life will be held at 1:00pm at Packer Memorial Chapel on the campus of Lehigh University, 18 University Drive, Bethlehem, PA, on Thursday, February 6, 2020. The family will receive relatives and friends from 11:00am until time of the service. Donna’s arrangements have been entrusted to the Cantelmi Long Funeral Home, Bethlehem. A memory tribute may be placed at www.cantelmifuneralhome.com.
Contributions: In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Donna’s loving memory to The Sandye Caruso Memorial Endowment Nursing Scholarship Fund. Address: St. Luke’s Hospital c/o Development Office, 801 Ostrum Street, Bethlehem, PA 18015.
Services and memorial contribution information have been set for Donna Strobel of Bethlehem, Pa., 67, longtime employee for the U.S. Wrestling Officials Association and a leader in the sport, who passed away last week.
Donna is the wife of Hall of Fame inductee Greg Strobel, a past USA Wrestling staff member and currently USA Wrestling’s Second Vice President.
USA Wrestling extends its sincere condolences to the Strobel family, as well as Donna’s many friends and colleagues across the nation.
“Our thoughts go out to Greg, his daughters Christina and Jennifer, and their entire family. Donna’s passing was a huge loss to the entire wrestling community. Her contributions throughout the years have been significant, both as a USA Wrestling staff member and a leader with the U.S. Wrestling Officials Association. The wrestling community will miss her joyful presence. Donna was a dear friend to many of us in the sport, and we are all saddened by her loss,” said USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender.
“She was so close to the officials. She ran the organization for so many years. She was always respected. Donna and Greg have always been a part of my life. It is hard to put into words what she meant to the organization and to me. When I heard about it, it was like losing a member of my family. Donna knew wrestling. She knew people. She always had an open mind. She allowed me to express my thoughts, frustrations and concerns. She would give me the most valuable advice I could get. It was based upon my love for her and her love for me. I am going to miss her,” said Rick Tucci, president of the U.S. Wrestling Officials Association.
“I knew Donna and Greg since 1982. I babysat their kids back in Stillwater, Okla. when they worked with USA Wrestling. Greg was one of my coaches in my corner when I competed. My wife Linda and I have known Donna and Greg for so long. She was loved in the wrestling community and was involved for so many years. It was a shock to me. It is sad to lose someone who meant so much to so many people,” said Bruce Baumgartner, USA Wrestling President.
The official obituary from the family is below.
Donna M. (Chandler) Strobel
January 26, 1952 ~ January 12, 2020 (age 67)
Donna M. Strobel, 67, of Bethlehem, passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 12, 2020 surrounded by her loving family, while in the care of St. Luke’s Hospice House. She was the loving wife of Greg Strobel with whom she shared over 45 years of wonderful marriage. Born in Portland, Oregon, she was the daughter of the late Leo and Barbara (Graham) Chandler. Donna was a graduate of Marshall High School in Portland, OR, class of 1970. She went on to attend Oregon State University. She attended Grace Church in Bethlehem.
Donna was the owner of the Calico Cupboard in Roseburg, OR, featuring handsewn fabric and specialty gift shop items where she also offered sewing classes. She later worked for the USA Wrestling Officials Association where she was the “life and success” of the USWOA. She was a trusted advisor, always cheerful, and passionately sincere to all that she interacted with during her tenure. She had a very good sense of reading people and her smile could be seen through the phone.
Donna was the consummate entertainer and enjoyed every detail of planning family gatherings, celebrations and wrestling team dinners. She traveled the globe with Greg, including as a volunteer for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. She was an avid scrapbooker, compiling countless memories of her travels to one of her favorite places on Earth, Cape Cod, and beyond. She loved spending time with her husband on the front porch “whittling”, playing her favorite (and only) card game Rummy, spending quality time with her daughters and cherishing every moment with her grandkids. She was My Donna, Our Mom, Our Grandmom, Sister, and Mrs. Coach to hundreds of Greg’s wrestlers. She will forever be adored, loved, admired, and missed.
Survivors: In addition to her loving husband Greg, daughters Jennifer Baldwin and her husband Robert of West Chester and Christine Napoli and her husband Joe of Drexel Hill; sister Linda Hirneise and her husband Dave of Scottsdale, AZ; brother Donald Chandler and his wife Sherry of Keizer, OR; loving grandchildren Mason, Isabel, Evelyn and Hayden and her loving nephews and niece, Donnie Chandler, Grant Hirneise and Heather Chandler.
Services: A Celebration of Donna’s life will be held at 1:00pm at Packer Memorial Chapel on the campus of Lehigh University, 18 University Drive, Bethlehem, PA, on Thursday, February 6, 2020. The family will receive relatives and friends from 11:00am until time of the service. Donna’s arrangements have been entrusted to the Cantelmi Long Funeral Home, Bethlehem. A memory tribute may be placed at www.cantelmifuneralhome.com.
Contributions: In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Donna’s loving memory to The Sandye Caruso Memorial Endowment Nursing Scholarship Fund. Address: St. Luke’s Hospital c/o Development Office, 801 Ostrum Street, Bethlehem, PA 18015.
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