John R. Strawsburg

STRAWSBURG, John Richard, M.D., age 87, passed away peacefully on April 9, 2013 in Seattle, Washington. Son of the late Harold B. and Vesta Snider Strawsburg, he was preceded in death by wife Frances Ellen (Furnas) Strawsburg and by his brother Robert and sister-in-law Marjorie Strawsburg. He is survived by his wife Phyllis (Willey Hotchkins) Strawsburg of Seattle, WA; sons, Jonathan (wife Pam) of Dayton, OH; Stephen (wife Lucy) of Winston-Salem, NC; Richard (fianc Gail Dilley) of Valparaiso, IN; step-daughter Katherine Bond (husband Andrew) of Seattle, WA; step-son Tom Hotchkins (fianc Allison Roberts) of Seattle WA; grandchildren Robert Strawsburg, Ben Strawsburg and Anna Wade Strawsburg, and step-grandchildren Sarah Bond, Taelor Warner, Aaron Bond, Tom Bond and Theo Post. Dr. Strawsburg was born on November 14, 1925 in Stockdale, Ohio then moved to north Dayton as a young child and graduated from Fairview High School in 1943. He enlisted in the United States Army in November 1943 and served with the 1689 Combat Engineers Battalion of the First Cavalry Division in the Philippines in 1944 and then joined the Allied Occupation Forces in Japan from September 1945 April 1946. After completing military service Dr. Strawsburg received a degree in Chemistry from Oberlin College in 1949 and attended The Ohio State University School of Medicine, graduating cum laude in 1953. He completed his internship at Johns Hopkins (1954), and his residencies at Henry Ford Hospital (Detroit) and Miami Valley Hospital (Dayton) in 1957. Richard met Frances Ellen Furnas while at Ohio State University and they were married on October 25, 1953 in Westfield, IN. After returning to Dayton in 1956 Frances and Richard lived for 39 years in Oakwood where they raised their three sons. Richard practiced internal medicine in Dayton for over 35 years, and served as Clinical Associate Professor with Wright State University School of Medicine until his full retirement. He was a skilled, diligent and compassionate physician. His day usually started with early morning hospital rounds and concluded with house calls after office hours. He very simply loved to practice medicine and cared deeply for his patients. He was devoted to his family, enjoyed the outdoors and loved to sing with the Miami Valley Medical Glee Club for many years. Richard and Frances enjoyed spending time at their farm in Adams County, Ohio with family and friends. Following the death of Frances in 1994, Richard married Frances' dear friend Phyllis Willey Hotchkins of Seattle, Washington on August 17, 1996. They traveled between their homes in Ohio, Florida and Washington before settling in Seattle. Together they enjoyed traveling and visiting with friends and family. Richard was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, physician, friend and confidant to many people over his long life. He was a man of quiet but solid faith. Intelligent, witty and energetic, his studious approach to interests ranging from world affairs to science and engineering never ended. He influenced the world for the better through his time with patients and friends, and was a kind and steady model for his family to follow. He will be greatly missed and lovingly remembered. A memorial service will be held at 1:00pm on Sunday, April 21, 2013 at Routsong Funeral Home, 2100 East Stroop Road, Kettering. Visitation will follow the service until 4:00pm. Memorial donations may be made to the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine to be used for the furtherance of the excellence with which Richard himself practiced medicine. Condolences may be sent to the family by signing the guestbook at www.routsong.com.

Funeral Home:
Kettering Routsong Funeral Home
2100 E. Stroop Rd.
Kettering, OH
US 45429