Wesley F. Strombeck

1929 - 2007

After a lengthy illness in New York, Wesley F. Strombeck passed away Jan. 20, 2007, at the age of 77, at an oceanfront Ventura beach home. He was enjoying a mild winter in California with his sister and brother-in-law, Sharon and Phelps Witter, formerly longtime Ventura County residents.

Wesley Strombeck was born March 29, 1929, in Havre, Mont. He was raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he graduated with honors from Punahou Academy in 1947 and the University of Hawaii in 1951. Fluent in French and German, the U.S. Army sent Mr. Strombeck to Europe in the early 1950's. While stationed in Darmstadt, Germany, he wrote and edited feature articles for The Stars and Stripes newspaper. He later lived in Paris, France, for several very special years to continue his studies, and in 1955 he received a "Certificat"from the University of Paris, Sorbonne.

For the past 48 years, he has lived in Manhattan's East Village, N.Y., where he pursued his encyclopedia editing career with The Grolier Publishing Co. until retirement in 1991.

Wesley was preceded in death by his younger brother, Major Edward Earl Strombeck, who died in Vietnam in 1967.

He is survived by his only sister, Sharon and her husband, Phelps Witter from Port Townsend, Wash.; two Witter nephews and one niece and their children in Oregon; and nieces, Sandy Cherrie, and Debby Wooff and their children of Ventura.

A Strombeck family celebration has been held at the beach in Ventura. This summer a traditional Hawaiian "Aloha O'e" with flower leis and music in honor of his memory will be celebrated at the beach at Lanikai, Oahu, by the Witter family.

Mr. Strombeck has been entrusted to the care of the family-owned Joseph P. Reardon Funeral Home, 757 East Main Street, Downtown Ventura; phone, 1-805-643-8623.