Robert “Bob” Ernest Strubbe

PORTLAND – Robert “Bob” Ernest Strubbe, 84, of Portland, passed away peacefully on Feb. 20, 2026, after health struggles in recent years. Born on March 14, 1941, in Orange, N.J., Bob was the son of Ernest and Marcella (Schmidt) Strubbe.

After graduating from the University of Maine, where he was a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, he enlisted in the United States Navy, serving for four years. Following his military service, Bob began a career as a USDA food inspector and returned to Maine to make his home.

Bob had a deep appreciation for the Maine outdoors, enjoying hunting, ice fishing, and tending his garden. Most at home in the woods, he was always willing to lend a hand to friends processing their deer during hunting season. He took meticulous care of his land in Winthrop; family members often joked that he could name every stick on the property and he was perpetually battling with the squirrels about the bird feeders.

Known for his gruff exterior, dry wit, and constant coffee consumption, Bob was a man of many strong opinions, often introduced with “…and another thing!” He was an avid cribbage player who rarely let a peg go unearned. Whether trading stocks, attending auctions, or hosting yard sales, he enjoyed feeling like he got the best of a deal. Bob also loved reading, especially mysteries and history books, and his TV was always on, tuned to “Bloomberg”, “Storage Wars”, “Law and Order”, the news, or old movies. And he loved dogs; they all knew to sit at his feet during meals to get a share of what he was eating.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and his son, Eric Strubbe.

He is survived by his children, Christina Strubbe and Katrina Strubbe, Katrina’s husband, Michael Thomas; his grandchildren, Kyle and Kaitlyn Thomas; his sister, Eileen M. LaDue, and her family, whom he regularly visited over the years.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages everyone to grab a cup of coffee, throw some black sunflower seed out for the birds, give a cookie to a dog in your life, and play a game of cribbage in his honor