Family and friends deeply mourn the passing of Dr. William “Bill” Allen Strohl at 87 years old on December 18, 2020 in Highlands Ranch, CO. His cause of death was related to COVID-19. He is survived by his two daughters Durga Strohl Larkin of Jamestown, RI and Celinde Strohl of Centennial, CO and three grandchildren Talley, Dana and Cole.
Bill was born November 1, 1933 in Bethlehem, PA to Hertha and Mitchell Strohl where he grew up. He received his undergraduate degree from Lehigh University in 1955 and was a member of the Theta Chi Fraternity. He graduated summa cum laude and was honored to be a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society.
He then earned his PhD in Virology from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, CA. While at Cal Tech doing his graduate work, he met and married Doerga Van der Kemp who was visiting from the Netherlands. They remained devoted to each other and their family until Doerga’s passing in 2014.
After receiving his PhD he was on faculty at St. Louis University Medical School until he was recruited to start the Department of Microbiology at the fledgling Rutgers Medical School, now University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. He remained a Professor in the Microbiology Department in Piscataway, NJ until his retirement in 1998.
Through his years as a dedicated scientist and professor he was also a devoted husband and father. He and Doerga raised two daughters: Durga who is an Ophthalmologist practicing in Rhode Island, and Celinde who is an Internist practicing in Littleton, CO.
Bill had a love of nature, science and the natural world. In his lifetime he did extensive hiking and camping in the East and West, most notably in the favorite family vacation spots of the Adirondack Mountains of New York, along the wild coast of Maine, and the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Bill was an ardent supporter of wilderness preservation, animal welfare and truth in science. Upon his retirement, Bill and Doerga moved to Longmont, CO to be close to the foothills of the Rockies where they continued to hike, and where he pursued nature photography and wild animal rescue. He was also an accomplished pianist and actively supported music and the arts.
Bill was loved and respected by all who knew him. In addition to his intelligence, Bill will also always be remembered for his kind and gentle nature, generosity, integrity and social conscience.
A Celebration of Life in Bill’s honor will be held once COVID restrictions are lifted and it is safe to gather at Bill and Doerga’s favorite mountain in the foothills of the Rockies. Kindly visit the All-States Cremation website for information and condolences. In keeping with Bill’s generous spirit and devotion to nature, in lieu of flowers donations may be made in Bill’s name to The Nature Conservancy.
