Obituary of Edward Waldemar Stroh

Edward Waldemar Stroh, Ph.D., L.P.C. Professional violinist, River Dell educator, faculty member at Kean University, and professional counselor with role in N.J. licensing legislation Edward Waldemar Stroh, 88, of Randolph, N.J., died on Jan. 28, 2017, after a short illness. He was born on Aug. 1, 1928, to Waldemar and Veronica Stroh. Ed studied violin with Frank Kneisel of the faculty of the Juilliard School of Music, and was a member of the Kneisel String Quartet. Ed held the principal second violin chair in the Houston Symphony Orchestra playing under the baton of guest conductor Igor Stravinsky. He was a member of the Kansas City (Mo.) Philharmonic Orchestra and of Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians for 70 years. Ed played violin, clarinet and saxophone with the Walter Nye Orchestra at Bill Miller's Riviera in Fort Lee, N.J., for famous entertainers, including Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr. Ed received his B.S. in education from Columbia University. He was a music teacher in the Leonia school system and at the River Dell Regional High School in Oradell, N.J. He taught violin at the American Academy of Music in Tenafly, N.J., a school founded by renowned organist Claire Coci. Ed received his M.A. in education from Montclair State University and became a guidance counselor and director of Pupil Personnel Services at River Dell. He earned his Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Florida State University, was a member of Phi Kappa Phi, and served on the faculty of the Nathan Weiss Graduate College of Kean University. He was a licensed professional counselor (L.P.C.), having co-authored the enabling legislation in New Jersey. He maintained a private practice in career counseling. Edward is survived by his wife of 63 years, Constance Stroh (nee Bogert); his daughters, Katherine Stroh and Valerie Van Hoven; his son, Edward D. Stroh and his wife, Rachel Caldari-Stroh; nine grandchildren; his sister Lillian Oliva, and many sisters- and brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews. He was a kind, gentle and loving man and is greatly missed. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Please consider contributions in Ed's memory to the American Heart Association , the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and the American Cancer Society.