William "Bill" Henry Strobach

William “Bill” Henry Strobach passed away peacefully at home on September 23, 2025, at the age of 81.

Born on June 7, 1944, to William Edward and Charleta Anne Strobach, Bill was raised in Des Moines, Iowa. He graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1962 and went on to attend the University of Iowa, where he earned a degree in Business Administration in 1966. During his college years, he served as Senior Vice President of the Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity and was actively involved in student leadership within the Quadrangle Dormitory. He also found plenty of time for fun, playing bridge, golfing, and watching lots of movies with friends.

Bill met his wife, Barbara Ann, in high school but it wasn’t until college that they started dating, fell in love, and got engaged. The Vietnam War was in progress when Bill graduated, and he enlisted in the United States Army, serving as a finance officer. On December 23, 1967, while on a three-day pass, he and Barb were married—a union that would span nearly six decades. They began married life at Fort Riley, Kansas, where Bill rose to the rank of First Lieutenant, serving in roles including Special Projects Officer and Disbursing Officer.

After his honorable discharge, Bill and Barb returned to Des Moines, where he began his career with the accounting firm Lybrand, Ross Bros. & Montgomery. Their son, Jason, was born during this time. A transfer with work brought the family to Indianapolis, then to Burlington, Iowa, and finally to Racine, Wisconsin, in 1975, where they would plant roots and welcome their daughter, Kathryn, in 1978.

Bill was a devoted husband and father, supporting his family in all endeavors. He was active in camping and scouting activities with both his children, working hard for many years to help ensure that the dock at Camp Anokijig was set up for the summer campers. Bill never missed a chance to cheer on his son playing baseball and tennis, or his daughter at dance recitals and swim meets, and was a great help with math homework. He also always supported his wife in her own career as a first-grade teacher.

One of his greatest joys was becoming a grandfather. Nothing made him light up more than talking about twins Sophie and David, and Zach and Delilah. He delighted in their academic successes and was a fixture at all their sporting events and every milestone in their lives. He treasured each moment he spent with them on special occasions like holidays, birthdays, graduations, and weddings, as well as on daily activities like car rides, family dinners, going to movies, and getting their help with his woodworking projects.

A lifelong Presbyterian, Bill was an active member of Covenant Presbyterian Church from 1975 onward. He served as an Elder, a Trustee, and was an active member of the facilities team. He spent much of his time helping maintain the church property because he always wanted the church to look its best to be a welcoming place for members and visitors alike. Bill’s love of woodworking allowed him to volunteer alongside other church and community members to build homes with Habitat for Humanity.

In retirement, Bill used his woodworking skills to volunteer for Toys for Tots, building doll houses and refurbishing toys. He also regularly made homemade gifts for family. Bill was an avid fan of college sports, always rooting for the Hawkeyes, Badgers, and Cyclones.

Bill is survived by his beloved wife of 57 years, Barbara Strobach; his children, Jason (Rejoice) Strobach and Kathryn Strobach; his cherished grandchildren, Zach Rezk, Delilah (Kenneth) Stewart, Sophia (Ethan) Geer, and David Strobach; his sisters, Mary (Paul) Mitchell and Barb (Robert) Petersen; and his nieces and nephews, Shawn (Gina) Mitchell, Heather (Daniel) Mabie, Robert Petersen, Andy Petersen, Charlie (Patty) Stebbins, Ashley (Andy) Clayton, Brad (Yuka) Stebbins, Valerie (Ryan) Babich, and Sahadat Nunn.

On Monday, October 6th, there will be a private burial at Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery. At 2:00 pm, the family will receive visitors at Covenant Presbyterian Church located at 40 Ohio St, Racine, WI 53405. A Celebration of Life Service will begin at 3:00 pm, with a reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations to Covenant Presbyterian Church, https://covpres.org/, 40 Ohio St, Racine, WI 53405 or to Tex Reynolds’ Toys for Tots in Racine, https://texreynoldstoysfortots.com/, 800 Center Street, Racine, WI 53403.