Yola Bee (Brown) Strobel, 87, of Hiawatha, KS, passed away on Wednesday, July 29, 2015. She was born on May 26, 1928 in Shubert to George Dewey and Edna Brown.
The family moved to Falls City in 1942 and Bee graduated from Falls City High School in 1946. After attending Gard Business School in St. Joseph, MO, she worked at the Missouri Pacific Railroad offices in Falls City. On May 15, 1947, she married the love of her life, Dale Earle Strobel. They began their married life in Emporia, KS, where Dale attended Kansas State Teachers College to study for a teaching career. After his graduation in 1950, they moved to Eureka where he taught for seven years, then lived in Newton for two years.
They then resided in Hiawatha from 1959 until 1967, when they moved to Plattsmouth, where Dale was a high school guidance counselor. Yola Bee worked as a clerk for Minnegasco (now Black Hills Corp.) for 18 years. In 1987, they moved back to Hiawatha for retirement. While in Hiawatha, she had been the administrator of the Hiawatha Chamber of Commerce for five years, coordinator of the Fisher Community Center for three years, and worked in City Hall and the Law Enforcement Center for 14 years.
Yola Bee was a member of the Hiawatha Kiwanis Club, Hiawatha Chamber of Commerce, Brown County Historical Society, Hiawatha Hospital Auxiliary, and a member of the Hiawatha Red Cross Gray Ladies. She was an active member of Zion Lutheran Church in Hiawatha.
Yola Bee was preceded in death by her parents; a sister, Sharron Brown Hall; and a brother, Beryl Dewey Brown.
She is survived by her husband, Dale; daughters, Doris (Larry) Kneisel, of Hiawatha, and Dea Strobel, of Plattsmouth; sons, Denis (Chris) Strobel, of Lenexa, KS, Dewey Strobel, of Valmeyer, IL, Daren (Shari) Strobel, of Owatonna, MN, and Dana Strobel (Traci Powell), of Beaver Lake, NE; 10 granddaughters; three grandsons; four great-granddaughters; and four great-grandsons.
Service will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 3, 2015 at Zion Lutheran Church, with Rev. Michael Dunaway officiating. Internment at Hiawatha Cemetery following the service. Friends may call at Chapel Oaks Funeral Home from noon-6 p.m. Saturday and after 10 a.m. Sunday. The family will meet with friends from 2-3:30 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.
The family encourages memorial contributions to Zion Lutheran Church, in care of Chapel Oaks Funeral Home, 124 S. 7th St., Hiawatha, KS 66434. A special message may be sent to the family at www.chapeloaksfuneralhome.com
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