Mr. Julius Strobl, Jr.

June 3, 1914 - January 30, 2019

Julius Strobl, Jr., a Galax, Virginia resident for 22 years and recognized song bird carver, died at Waddell Nursing Home in Galax on Wednesday, January 30, 2019 at the age of 104 years and eight months. Mr. Strobl was born June 3, 1914 in Chicago, Illinois. As a child, his immigrant parents Julius and Mary Strobl moved ever westward to California, his father working as a machinist along the way. Raised during the Great Depression, his Austrian mother kept them alive with her delicious but frugal cooking. At 15, Julius Junior was the sole bread winner for the family pruning and irrigating orchards in California. At 21, he enlisted in the Army and was stationed in Oahu, Hawaii at Scoffield Barracks where he served as a medical corpsman. Following his time in the Army, he worked as a journeyman electrician for Kaiser Steel in California. In 1952, he moved to Oregon where he raised chickens and worked in the logging industry. At age 54, he studied small appliance repair at a community college in Oregon and worked as an appliance repairman in Oregon and California until he retired at age 62. In retirement, he took up carving ducks and song birds and advanced to open class carver. He continued carving until 2018. September 1, 1940, he married Irma Frances Jenkins before a full Catholic congregation following Mass. Two children were born to this union as follows: Mr. Steven Strobl of Healdsburg, California and Mrs. Victoria Mackey of Galax, Virginia. Married 52 years, his wife passed away on March 12, 1992 in Yucaipa, California. His sisters, Mary Strobl Jones died December 2, 2001 and Elsie Strobl Brooks on August 23, 1997 both in California. He is survived by his two children, daughter in law, JoAnne, four grandchildren and three great grandchildren. He was buried beside his wife in Mt. View Cemetery, San Bernardino, California. He will be sadly missed by both family and friends.