Harold K. Strawsburg

Well, I finally found a good therapeutic use for this blog.
I will be using this blog to drain myself
of all the emotion I feel over my father's passing.

Mr. Harold Strawsburg Jr.

As originally published on Wednesday, December 7, 2005.

Harold K. Strawsburg Jr., 64, of Somerset, passed on Dec. 3, 2005, in Conemaugh Township. Born May 14, 1941, in Frederick, Md., the son of the late Harold and Ruth (Moser) Strawsburg. He is preceded in death by a brother, Edgar Strawsburg.

He is survived by his wife, Betty (Huston) Strawsburg, Somerset; twin sons, Donald and wife, Kathy, Florida, and Ronald and wife, Brenda, Hagerstown, Md.; daughters, Donna and husband, Danny Hovermale, Hancock, Md., and Brenda and husband, Joe McComas, Hagerstown, Md.; eight grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; brother, James and wife, Dottie Strawsburg; and sister, Doris Doal, both of Maryland.

He was a retired engineer for the SaniDairy Co. in Johnstown after a career of more than 40 years in the dairy industry. He was an avid outdoorsman who loved making furniture for his family and friends.

A private memorial service will be held at a later time. Memorial contributions may be sent to the American Heart Assn., 400 Luray Ave., Johnstown, PA 15901. Arrangements by Miller Funeral Home, Somerset.

I have so many fond memories of my father. It is hard to know where to start. I should note that for the past 20 years I have had limited contact with my father, he and I grew apart, but those time we did sit down to talk were meaningful. Dad moved a few hours away to Pennsylvania, when I was 18 and I married, and started my own life, my wife Kathy and I are raising our 4 children, which takes alot of time, especially weekends, when the kids activities ate into most of those two days off.
Nevertheless, my memories of my father are good ones, he taught me so many values when I was young and I never really realized where those values came from until he passed.


Well, I attended my fathers funeral services in PA. The pastor said some nice things about my dad. My fathers brother spoke, and revealed something I never knew about my father, that he and his younger brother used to explore when they were kids, by explore I mean they would go for long walks thru the wilderness, looking for treasure of any sort. This is something my twin brother and I also did when we were young. It is really strange, these walks were really much more, we would travel 5 or so miles, across the fields in the remote town we lived in. we would intentionally avoid houses or communities. And the treasure could be anything, a stick of an odd shape, or a abandoned car or washing machine. Anything of little value was considered a treasure. We borrowed boats when we came to a pond or small lake. I guess breaking the lock would be considered less than borrowing, but ...


I did manage to conjer up the courage to speak, I can't really remember what I said, but it was from my heart, I hadn't planned on a nobel prize winning speach, and to be quite honest, I would have said the same thing with an empty room, and as far as I am concerned it was, aside from my family and brother's family.


My rambling on was more of a message to my dad, that yes, I know where your heart was and you have given me your best characteristics, I know how much you loved us, and I know that you felt it so deeply, that you could not possibly speak it, it is that love that cannot be spoken, mere words cannot begin to express and only pollute the pure love you felt.


I think I ended my small speech with "He was a great man and he will be sorely missed". And that is quite a admiration, coming from a son that hadn't spoken to his father in 7 months, not because I was angry or mad at him, but just because of the day to day fullness of life.


More to Come .......