Bernard Lynn Strohl, 65, of Taylor, Nebraska died at his home on December 5, 2012.
Bernard’s wishes were to be cremated with a private family burial. There will be a memorial mass at 2:00 p.m. Friday, December 7, 2012 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Sargent. Fr. Jim Hunt will officiate. Memorials are suggested to Valley County Hospice.
Bernard was born May 10, 1947 in Burwell, Nebraska to Winafred Arlene Newbury and Donzel Bruce Strohl, while Donzel was stationed in Japan at the end of World War II. His grandparents were Frank & Grace (Drake) Strohl and Dana & Blanche (Evans) Newbury, all of Taylor. At age 2 ½ Bernie was joined by a sister, Shirley, then at five by a brother, Bruce, who died in infancy. Until the age of eleven Bernard moved around with his family, following his father who was a “road fitter” in the fire sprinkler industry. In 1957, they moved to Omaha where his dad opened an office for Midwest Automatic Fire Sprinkler. Bernie graduated from Benson High in 1965, and left for the fire sprinkler industry. Bernie returned to work in Omaha where he met and married Karole Ann Archibald in February of 1967. To this union were born five children; Bruce Edward, Denise Ann, Bernard James (BJ), Summer Lynn and Sarah Rose.
Bernard began an apprenticeship as a sprinkler pipe fitter in 1969 in Denver, becoming a journeyman union pipe fitter, with UA local 669, in 1973. He worked as a road sprinkler pipe fitter in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Missouri and Kansas. He went into the estimating side of sprinkler work in 1978, moving to Springfield, Missouri, then to San Antonio, Texas. In 1985 he returned to Colorado and worked in Denver and Colorado Springs offices. Bernard retired from Western States Fire Protection in 2000, then after a year of retirement, he returned to work for Western States/API where he consulted at offices all over the country and “commuted” to his home in rural Taylor. He retired for good in late 2010. Bernard loved his children and grandchildren. He enjoyed small block Chevy’s, playing cards, fishing, flint knapping and visiting. He loved learning and sharing his knowledge. He was diagnosed with cancer in May 2012.
Bernard will be missed by his wife, Karole Strohl of Taylor, Nebraska. Children, Denise Steele of Burwell, Nebraska, BJ and Richelle Strohl of Monument, Colorado, Summer Strohl of Taylor, Nebraska and Sarah and Kipp Dowdy of Rose, Nebraska. Ten grandchildren, Keith and Kelsey Strohl-Yeomans, Dylan Strohl-Yeomans, Nicholas and Braden Strohl, Grace and Keegan Strohl, Evan and Sophie Steele, and Klarissa and Kale Dowdy and one great-granddaughter on the way. A sister, Shirley Erickson of Bellingham, Washington and an aunt, Ruth Newbury of Lincoln, Nebraska as well as in-laws, cousins, nephews, nieces and friends.
Bernard was preceded in death by a son, Bruce Edward as an infant, a brother, Bruce Alan, his parents, grandparents, and aunts and uncles.
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