There will be a memorial service on Saturday, October 11, 2014 at First Presbyterian Church of Littleton. 1609 W Littleton Boulevard Littleton,Colorado 80120-2108. Phone 303-798-1389. The memorial sevice begins at 3:00 P.M., followed by a reception.
Herbert Wayne Stroh was born on November 9th 1929 in Brighton, Colorado to Carlton Stanley and Rosebelle Stroh. He was the last of five children. When Herb was 16 he got his first pilot’s license. He paid for his lessons by selling scrap metals he found when he cleared neighboring rancher’s junk piles. He graduated from Parker High School in 1947 and went into the Marines shortly thereafter. When he was in the Marines he was stationed in Alaska and Korea. He was injured in Korea and sent to Seattle. He married Frances MacKay and they had three girls; Elizabeth Ann, Barbara Jane and Leslie Kay. They settled in the Denver area where he worked as a Denver policeman and then with the Colorado State Patrol. They were divorced in 1960.
Herb then met and married Bette Jean Gitchel, who his girls called Momma Jean. In 1966 Herb again, pursued his love of flying. They moved to Florida to get his commercial pilots license training. He then started working as a pilot. He moved several times around the country working with different airlines. He started with the FAA in 1973 where he worked until he retired. Bette died from cancer in 1979.
He married Mary Elizabeth Lightburn in 1985 and became a stepfather to Celeste.
He was a man of God. He was a student of the Bible and read it daily. He was a member of the Bible Study Fellowship for over 30 years. He and Mary were missionaries in Costa Rica and Mexico. He worked with street children in Mexico City. He supported a minister in Mexico who built a youth and family camp for youth in Mexico and in Cuba. He and Mary went to Costa Rica over 14 times. During one visit in Costa Rica he cracked a rib, but kept going to the job site working along with the rest of the team every day. They resided with a family in Costa Rica, while involved in an emersion program. The youngest child was 8 when they first lived with them. She has now graduated from Medical School. She has always called him “grandfather", and came to visit him during his last days. He supported the Women’s Center in Lumbumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo as well as a nutritional program in Mulungwishi, DRC. In Seattle Herb was an elder in his church, Bryn Mawr United Methodist and was involved with Night Watch, & Arise as well as supporting Tent City 3. These programs helped to feed and temporarily house the homeless. He also, visited shut-ins daily to read to them from the Bible. Herb and Mary supported 4 children through Christian Children’s ministry. As well as many one-time gifts.
Herb died of lung cancer and kidney complications September 2, 2014 with Mary by his side.
He leaves behind Mary and his children; Elizabeth Stroh-Coughlin and Dick Coughlin; Barbara Roth and Mitch Simmons; Leslie and Roger Blanco and Celeste and Shawn Rothlisburger. He also leaves his grandchildren; Sasha and Aleksy Coughlin, Alan Simmons, Anastasia, Allysa and Caleb Rothlisburger and one great granddaughter Aevri Simmons and his beloved dog Chula.
Chula passed away Saturday, October 4th, 2014
