Donna M. Strobel, 67, of Bethlehem, Penn., passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 12, 2020, surrounded by her loving family, while in the care of St. Luke’s Hospice House. She was the loving wife of Greg Strobel with whom she shared over 45 years of wonderful marriage. Born in Portland, Ore., she was the daughter of the late Leo and Barbara (Graham) Chandler. Donna was a graduate of Marshall High School in Portland, OR, class of 1970. She went on to attend Oregon State University. She attended Grace Church in Bethlehem.
Donna was the owner of the Calico Cupboard in Roseburg, OR, featuring handsewn fabric and specialty gift shop items where she also offered sewing classes. She later worked for the USA Wrestling Officials Association where she was the “life and success” of the USWOA. She was a trusted advisor, always cheerful, and passionately sincere to all that she interacted with during her tenure. She had a very good sense of reading people and her smile could be seen through the phone.
Donna was the consummate entertainer and enjoyed every detail of planning family gatherings, celebrations and wrestling team dinners. She traveled the globe with Greg, including as a volunteer for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. She was an avid scrapbooker, compiling countless memories of her travels to one of her favorite places on Earth, Cape Cod, and beyond. She loved spending time with her husband on the front porch “whittling,” playing her favorite (and only) card game Rummy, spending quality time with her daughters and cherishing every moment with her grandkids. She will forever be adored, loved, admired, and missed.
Survivors in addition to her loving husband, Greg, include daughters Jennifer Baldwin and her husband Robert of West Chester and Christine Napoli and her husband Joe of Drexel Hill, Penn.; sister Linda Hirneise and her husband Dave of Scottsdale, Ariz; brother Donald Chandler and his wife Sherry of Keizer, Ore.; loving grandchildren Mason, Isabel, Evelyn and Hayden and her loving nephews and niece, Donnie Chandler, Grant Hirneise and Heather Chandler.
Services: A Celebration of Donna’s life will be held at 1 p.m. at Packer Memorial Chapel on the campus of Lehigh University, 18 University Drive, Bethlehem, Penn., on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020. The family will receive relatives and friends from 11 a.m. until time of the service. Donna’s arrangements have been entrusted to the Cantelmi LongFuneral Home, Bethlehem. A memory tribute may be placed at www.cantelmifuneralhome.com.
Contributions: In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Donna’s loving memory to The Sandye Caruso Memorial Endowment Nursing Scholarship Fund. Address: St. Luke’s Hospital c/o Development Office, 801 Ostrum Street, Bethlehem, PA 18015.