Morgan Dov Strasser, 47, passed away peacefully on January 20, 2016 after a long, brave battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife, Maria Laura Sanchez Puerta; his children, Julian, 6, and Clara, 4; his parents, Nelson and Tamara Strasser; his sister, Teresa Strasser; and many beloved cousins, second cousins, two nephews, and one niece.
Morgan was a beacon of courage and strength, an honest and warm person to all who met him. As a student, he graduated from the University of California at Berkeley before getting his law degree from the University of Santa Clara. For most of his career, he practiced estate law working for the U.S. government, and co-workers knew him to be both reliable and sharp. Morgan was a loving husband and father and enjoyed spending time with his family and practicing photography on his beautiful children. His passions were travel, tennis (he loved the U.S. Open, in particular), Bay Area sports teams (Warriors, 49ers, and Giants), and anything sweet or covered in dark chocolate. He loved movies, in particular “The Princess Bride” and “As Good As It Gets.” The hero of the latter says, “You make me want to be a better man,” and Morgan had that effect on many who knew him, challenging us to match his sweetness, fairness, kindness, and generosity of spirit. He spent his last days with his wife and children, still funny, smart, and a good listener until the very end. A special thanks to his best friends, Phil Gruebele and Mike Tschudin, who were there for him until the end, to the doctors, nurses, and aides of the Johns Hopkins University Hospital and Capital Caring, and to all of Morgan's loved ones for their support and care.
In lieu of flowers, the family prefers donations in Morgan's memory to Life With Cancer or the American Cancer Society. A private service for the family will be held on Friday, January 22. The family will receive visitors at home on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, January 23-25 (please send a text message before coming to 812-345-7024).
We encourage friends and family to leave a message, share photos and videos, or post a video message of your memories of Morgan. This page will serve as a remembrance of Morgan for his children and for all of his loved ones.
