Cmdr. Reuben Emil Strelow, a 35-year resident of Laguna Woods, California, passed away Aug. 9, 2014.
Reuben was born on Sept. 14, 1919, in Regina, Wisconsin, to Otto Carl Strelow and Emma Bertha Loehrl. He was the fifth of 11 children.
He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1942 (the Class of 1943). Upon graduation, he married Rachel Adeline Syvertson. Reuben served heroically with distinction as a naval officer during World War II earning two bronze stars among other commendations. After the war, he graduated from the Naval Postgraduate School and was an electronics engineer in the Navy until 1962. Reuben had a second career at Rockwell International in Downey, California, working on the Apollo moon landing program and the space shuttle.
Reuben’s wife, Rachel, passed away in 1974. In 1979, he married Betty Frances Reigart. Reuben is survived by his wife, Betty; daughter, Pamela (Joe) Massaglia; stepdaughter, Kathy (Stan) Salter; stepson, Robert Holsinger; four grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and four sisters. Reuben is preceded in death by his parents and six brothers.
A viewing will be held at Forest Lawn Mortuary in Cypress, California, on Friday, Aug. 15, from 3-5 p.m. A memorial service will be held at the Lutheran Church of the Cross in Laguna Woods at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 16.
In Reuben’s memory, the family requests donations in his name to be sent to the Lutheran Church of the Cross, 24231 El Toro Road, Laguna Woods, CA 92637, or to Hospice of the West, 505 N. Euclid St., Suite 480, Anaheim, CA 92801.
Online guest book is available at forestlawn.com/find.
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