Robert Henry Strotman
April 28, 1933 — June 11, 2017
Robert Henry Strotman, 84, was born on April 28, 1933 in Cincinnati, Ohio to Joseph Strotman and Margaret Patterson and entered into eternal rest on June 11, 2017 in Arcadia, California.
Robert was met at Heaven's gate by his brother, Joseph Strotman and sisters, Mary Sinnard, Kathleen Hansbauer, and Judy Madigan who preceded him in death.
"I entered the Taiwan scene as a newly ordained priest in 1961 and left the Maryknoll scene in Taiwan in 1984. I still stand in awe of the great mystery surrounding the very friendly and lovable Taiwan folks today just as I did in 1961 and after. I still find it extremely easy to make new friends and acquaintances among the people of Taiwan.
There were countless opportunities for me to show concern for the Taiwan people through the pastoral ministry, education, and social work just to mention a few. And I was glad to contribute what little I could in these areas. My initiation into these areas was in Tachia where I worked under two stalwarts, John Curran and Larry Connors. This was followed by an assignment to Erhlin, working under Jack Kennedy. I then became a circuit rider for a few years in Changhwa County with brief assignments to Chutang and Chichoi, ending up in Yuanlin for a few years working with Joe McDonald. I admired these very experienced co-workers and profited a lot from their guidance.
As much as I cherished the pastoral ministry in the rural areas, I was also attracted by the bright lights of the big cities where the vast majority of the young folks were heading in ever greater numbers to pursue secondary education and working careers. This strong desire to work in pastoral ministry while at the same time feeling the call to work in special ministries stayed with me during my entire ministry in Taiwan. My final years as a minister in Taiwan were spent in the mountainous areas surrounding Wushe in Jenai Hsiang initially under the guidance of Michael Collins.
Looking back on these experiences, I feel that the locations of my ministry were insignificant. The locations were simply places where I performed my ministries. What really counted was what transpired between myself and the local people. Birth, sickness, suffering, marriage, rites of passage, death, and many other meaningful events transpired before me as I tried desperately to show how these events were of infinite importance to us and to God in Heaven.
In 1984, I felt challenges coming from other directions and left the Maryknoll ministry. For the next sixteen years I worked for the United States Department of Commerce as a Foreign Commercial Service Officer both in Taiwan and Guangzhou, China. My chief task was to assist U.S. firms that were attempting to market their goods and services in Taiwan and China. From 1987 to 1991, I was requested to dedicate my efforts to assist U.S. firms pursuing contracts on the Taipei Rapid Transit System. Over one billion dollars worth of subway contracts were awarded to U.S. firms during that time.
From 1994 to 1997, I served as the Commercial Consul at the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou, China. My work area was limited to the four southern provinces of Guangtung, Guangxi, Fujian, and Hainan. Visiting Guangtung provincial cities such as Kongmoon, Wuchou, and many others brought me very close in spirit to the Maryknollers who toiled there many decades ago.
I retired from the Department of Commerce last year, but I don't think that I will ever retire from Taiwan and China. Only a few days ago, the Chinese pastor of the church where I worship near Los Angeles appointed me to serve as a consultant to the project of constructing a multi-million dollar Catholic Center and old folks home which will serve the needs of Chinese Catholics and others in the Los Angeles area.
The government of the People's Republic of China recently invited me to join a 15-day tour of the western provinces of China to see at firsthand the very important need to develop the infrastructures of these provinces. So I am still very much involved with the Taiwan/China scenes."
Published in Maryknoll Magazine in 2001 - Written by Robert
Robert is survived by his loving family: Wife, Mei-Hwa Strotman, Son, Yi-fan (Pattara), Son, Joe Strotman (Chantel), Sister, Margaret Kinne, Sister, Patricia Zepf (Richard), as well as numerous neices and nephews.
Condolences may be sent to the family through our website.
Robert was met at Heaven's gate by his brother, Joseph Strotman and sisters, Mary Sinnard, Kathleen Hansbauer, and Judy Madigan who preceded him in death.
"I entered the Taiwan scene as a newly ordained priest in 1961 and left the Maryknoll scene in Taiwan in 1984. I still stand in awe of the great mystery surrounding the very friendly and lovable Taiwan folks today just as I did in 1961 and after. I still find it extremely easy to make new friends and acquaintances among the people of Taiwan.
There were countless opportunities for me to show concern for the Taiwan people through the pastoral ministry, education, and social work just to mention a few. And I was glad to contribute what little I could in these areas. My initiation into these areas was in Tachia where I worked under two stalwarts, John Curran and Larry Connors. This was followed by an assignment to Erhlin, working under Jack Kennedy. I then became a circuit rider for a few years in Changhwa County with brief assignments to Chutang and Chichoi, ending up in Yuanlin for a few years working with Joe McDonald. I admired these very experienced co-workers and profited a lot from their guidance.
As much as I cherished the pastoral ministry in the rural areas, I was also attracted by the bright lights of the big cities where the vast majority of the young folks were heading in ever greater numbers to pursue secondary education and working careers. This strong desire to work in pastoral ministry while at the same time feeling the call to work in special ministries stayed with me during my entire ministry in Taiwan. My final years as a minister in Taiwan were spent in the mountainous areas surrounding Wushe in Jenai Hsiang initially under the guidance of Michael Collins.
Looking back on these experiences, I feel that the locations of my ministry were insignificant. The locations were simply places where I performed my ministries. What really counted was what transpired between myself and the local people. Birth, sickness, suffering, marriage, rites of passage, death, and many other meaningful events transpired before me as I tried desperately to show how these events were of infinite importance to us and to God in Heaven.
In 1984, I felt challenges coming from other directions and left the Maryknoll ministry. For the next sixteen years I worked for the United States Department of Commerce as a Foreign Commercial Service Officer both in Taiwan and Guangzhou, China. My chief task was to assist U.S. firms that were attempting to market their goods and services in Taiwan and China. From 1987 to 1991, I was requested to dedicate my efforts to assist U.S. firms pursuing contracts on the Taipei Rapid Transit System. Over one billion dollars worth of subway contracts were awarded to U.S. firms during that time.
From 1994 to 1997, I served as the Commercial Consul at the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou, China. My work area was limited to the four southern provinces of Guangtung, Guangxi, Fujian, and Hainan. Visiting Guangtung provincial cities such as Kongmoon, Wuchou, and many others brought me very close in spirit to the Maryknollers who toiled there many decades ago.
I retired from the Department of Commerce last year, but I don't think that I will ever retire from Taiwan and China. Only a few days ago, the Chinese pastor of the church where I worship near Los Angeles appointed me to serve as a consultant to the project of constructing a multi-million dollar Catholic Center and old folks home which will serve the needs of Chinese Catholics and others in the Los Angeles area.
The government of the People's Republic of China recently invited me to join a 15-day tour of the western provinces of China to see at firsthand the very important need to develop the infrastructures of these provinces. So I am still very much involved with the Taiwan/China scenes."
Published in Maryknoll Magazine in 2001 - Written by Robert
Robert is survived by his loving family: Wife, Mei-Hwa Strotman, Son, Yi-fan (Pattara), Son, Joe Strotman (Chantel), Sister, Margaret Kinne, Sister, Patricia Zepf (Richard), as well as numerous neices and nephews.
Condolences may be sent to the family through our website.
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