Idella Mary Ann Strubhart

Idella Strubhart was a woman of many talents and she used those talents to serve her Church and Community. There was no stopping her once she got started on a project, which is obvious by the years of historical research and hard work she put into her published books and all the history preserved in the unpublished books. She loved working in her yard and keeping her home beautiful. She never met a stranger and was always willing to lend a helping hand. Idella was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother and most of all a friend to many. She will be missed in so many ways.

On Monday, January 23, 2012, God gently took Idella Strubhart to be with Him and to reunite her with her husband and two daughters. She was 92 years old. Idella was a life time member of Our Lady of Consolation Church, served for 12 years as 4-H Club and recreational leader for Kleberg County. Idella belonged to the Home Demonstration Club and H. D. Council, Altar Society, Volunteer Fire Ladies Auxiliary, PTA, Riviera Beautification Association, Riviera Historical Museum Director, Coordinator of CCD and a member of the Historical Society. She taught CCD, for 30 years, to the youth of our community in the Catholic Faith, prepared children for First Communion and Confirmation as well as teaching adult classes. In her spare time she wrote poetry and had “The Flight of Years” published in 1984. In 1990, she had a 648 page book published entitled, “The Legacy of the Unterbrink Family”. Her latest publication, in 1990, was “A Small Town In God’s Country”—A 90 year History of Riviera, Texas to Baffin Bay.

Idella was preceded in death by her parents, Orlando and Grace Underbrink, two brothers, Harold and Cornelius Underbrink , three sisters, Henrietta Underbrink, Irene Cumberland and Clara Schonefeld. Also preceding her in death was her husband, “Fritz”, of 69 ½ years, two daughters, Joyce Strubhart and Loretta Yaklin , one grandson, Charlie Pena, one granddaughter, Beverely Rocha and one great-grandson, Casey Tull. She leaves behind to carry on her legacy three daughters, Julia (Fred) Strubhart-Bell and Rosalie Richter, of Riviera, Gloria (Jerry) Martinez, of San Antonio, one son, Bud (Sandra) Strubhart of Liverpool, TX., 15 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren, one brother, Marion (Loraine) Underbrink, four sisters, Alma Lampe, Laura Strubhart, Edna Key, Margie Brown and one sister-in-law, Ronnie Siders of Minnesota,

Rosary will be recited at 7:00 PM on Thursday, January 26, 2012 at Turcotte-Piper Funeral Home. Mass will be celebrated, by Msgr. Jim Harris, at 10:00 AM on Friday, January 27, 2012 at Our Lady of Consolation Church in Vattmann. Burial will follow in the Vattman Cemetery. In lieu of flower, a donation may be made to the Riviera Historical Museum, The Volunteer Fireman’s Museum or to another charity of your choice.