LESLIE DREWS STROEBEL

LESLIE DREWS STROEBEL

3/11/20-11/14/12

Leslie Stroebel, known as Professor Stroebel to some and "Dimples" to his family, passed away peacefully at the age of 92 on November 14, 2012. Born on March 11, 1920, he went from seeing the President of the United States, Calvin Coolidge, waving to him on horseback at age 7, to embracing the digital age and using his computer to write books, stay in e-mail contact and Skype across the country with his two great-grandchildren. He had a long and wonderful life, witnessing change and advancements. His family can truly think of it "not as a death but a completion."

He was the proud father of three daughters, Ellen, Becky, and Lori, and a feminist who signed and passed along every petition promoting and protecting women's rights. In his later years, he and his ex-wife, Joan, became best friends again, much to the delight of their daughters. He was Grampa Dimples to his 6 grandkids and, ever the teacher, would sometimes return their e-mails to him with the spelling corrected.

Captain Stroebel was a veteran of World War II - a "Geodet" in the Air Force Photo Cadet program sent to map points in such diverse locations as Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Libya and Kenya, with exciting stories to tell about each.

A well-liked and respected Professor Emeritus of Photography who taught countless students during his 44 years at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Dr. Stroebel wrote and co-authored photography reference books and texts used to teach generations of photographers. As one former student put it, "An icon of large format photography, he had a large format heart."

He was a Bridge and Scrabble player who was hard to beat. He only reluctantly left his Antlers Drive home of over 50 years in Brighton when assisted living became a necessity. After moving to Florida for his final few months to be nearer to family, he dearly missed his beloved caregiver in Rochester, Ann Marie Cullen.

An Obama supporter who missed voting 4 years ago when he ended up in the hospital on election day with a broken leg, he made up for it with the election this month, voting in Florida. We are so blessed that he wrote his Memoirs, complete with photographs, self-deprecating and funny stories, and full of genealogy information - a treasure to pass along to his descendents. He will also be remembered for his ever-present and (according to him) "medically necessary" yellow hat covering his bald head.

Leslie is survived by his ex-wife, Joan (Champion Romig) Temple, daughters Ellen (Tim) Stone, and Becky Stroebel, all of Fort Myers, FL, and Lori Stroebel of Hailey, ID. He is also survived by his grandchildren Lauren and Ethan Knott of Fort Myers, FL; Zeban (Amy) Stroebel-Haft, Ketchum, ID; Ezzie Stroebel-Haft, Portland, OR; Keze Stroebel-Haft, San Francisco, CA; and Zoe Stroebel-Haft, New York, NY, as well as great-grandchildren, Kyzer and Atticas Stroebel-Haft, Ketchum, ID. He is survived by his 95-year-old sister, Mildred McShane, Vernon Hills, IL, and nephews, Michael, James (Kelly) and Charles Patrick (Claudette) McShane. He is predeceased by his parents, Mark and Elta (Drews) Stroebel from Mapleton, MN, Les' birthplace. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the charity of your choice or to the RIT Hollis Todd Scholarship Fund, https://www.rit.edu/development/giving/telefundgiving.php in his honor. A Memorial Celebration of the Life of Leslie Stroebel will be held at a time and location yet to be determined.