John Charles Strubell

In Loving Memory of John Charles Strubell

1960 ~ 2026

John Charles Strubell, beloved husband, loving father of five, caring Papa to his eight grandkids, devoted son, brother, uncle, friend, and coach, suddenly and unexpectedly left this world, while serving his fellow man, on Monday, October 5th, 2026, at the age of 66.

John was born on September 11th, 1960, in Erie, Pennsylvania, to Harvey Glynn Strubell and Helen Amelia Strubell (Heyer). He grew up in Holly Hill, Florida, with his six siblings, Diana, Carolyn, Harvey, Larry, Tim and Chris. He was adventurous, mischievous, hardworking and athletic growing up, which carried on long into adulthood.

Starting at a young age, John committed himself to contributing to the financial stability of his family. Whether it be collecting bottle caps, maintaining an active paper route or locating parts necessary to keep his father’s custom bicycle shop running smoothly, John, along with his siblings, was willing to do anything within his power to ensure that his family did not go without.

He attended Mainland High School in Daytona Beach, Florida and went on to pursue higher education at Grossmont College in San Diego, California, where he earned an Associates degree and was an active member of the baseball team. Prior to attending college, he was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served as a missionary for two years in the California, San Diego Mission. During his mission, he developed a deep love for his savior, Jesus Christ, and His gospel, which never diminished.

On November 26th, 1988, John married the love of his life, Judy Quick. They were sealed for time and all eternity in the Los Angeles, California Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The first time John saw Judy, she was “all dolled up” and immediately caught his eye; the rest is history. Through thick and thin, John and Judy shared almost 38 wonderful years of marriage together on earth. They purchased their first home in El Cajon, California, in 1988 where they lived for 18 years. During that time, they had 5 beautiful children, John, Jillian, Jennifer, Julia and Jeffery, whom he loved dearly. In 2006 they purchased their house in Lehi, Utah, where they have lived for the last 20 years, consistently working on projects and thinking of ways to make their house a home.

John was truly a jack of all trades and a master of many. To pinpoint a single career path would be impossible for such a man. He remodeled bathrooms, he installed floors, he sold cranes, he did plumbing and ran small businesses galore. He could sell ice to an eskimo, truly blessed with the gift of gab, but during his final years, he chose to spend his working hours in a big rig truck cab. From tankers of gas to dump trucks of dirt, shipments for pipelines across mountains and desert, his résumé seemed endless, all these skills having gathered, there was even a time John would transport bio-hazards. He was proud of the many certifications he earned in his life, and not a single trick was wasted when it came to remodeling his home for his wife.

Outside of his professional obligations and aspirations, John never missed an opportunity to serve. He coached his children and countless other young athletes, with emphasis on self-discipline, determination and a firm belief that one caring coach and a little bit of hard work can change the world. He loved sports of all kinds, and could frequently be found watching football or basketball in the family room with his wonderful wife, Judy, but baseball was surely his favorite, and he remained loyal to a tee in regards to the Padres, the Chargers and, of course, his Florida Gators. He loved the outdoors and never shied away from an adventure. Visiting the Grand Canyon, hiking the Sierra Nevadas with the Boy Scouts, ice fishing on Strawberry Reservoir or even searching for Bigfoot with his cherished grandkids on a good ol’ fashioned family camping trip, no feat was too great, and no memory too small. 

Though he may have tried to hide it from some, John loved animals, and never denied his children the lessons in care and responsibility that can be learned and developed through having pets at home. Dogs, cats, mice, rats, guinea pigs, bunnies, and even a few chickens, ironically named Huey, Duey and Louie, this man was prepared for anything, and it was obvious that he did not simply tolerate them to appease the kids. No, he loved his pets, and he loved watching his kids love them too.

He may have been stern at times, however John’s kindness never ceased. It ran deeper than the roots of the California redwoods and extended from coast to coast, leaving a trail of lifelong connections all along the way. A large portion of his family still resides throughout Florida, including several of his siblings and beloved nieces and nephews. Regardless what the state of the family may have been, through fair weather and literal hurricanes, John was never too busy or too tired to put in the effort for his relatives. Any chance to be close to his distant loved ones brought him more joy than many of them ever realized. Those who chose to remain in contact with him through the years can vouch for the endless depths of his desire and dedication to maintain loving relationships with his kin. From birthdays, weddings and vacations, to hurricane relief, construction projects and funerals, he always strived to be the anchor who never waivers regarding the sanctity of family ties. He was truly an honorable man.

John was a social butterfly to say the least, constantly reaching out to friends and family in hopes of a quick visit or a lunch outing to catch up and shoot the breeze. Any time spent at the beach was a good time in his eyes, and aside from Daytona, where he grew up, his favorite beaches of all were those that he encountered during his visits to Hawaii. The proof was in the pudding, from the way he dressed to his home decor and the ever elusive dream that he and his sweetheart ought to run away together to retire on the big island. He never thought twice about an offer to meet up for some seafood, and crab legs were undoubtedly his top choice when presented with options. He and his two sons had this in common, and were known to plan some sort ofseafood smorgasbord each time they had the chance to get together. He also loved BBQ, always ready with a recommendation for the best places to find it, spanning numerous states, with a full review of each one that he had given his official stamp of approval.

In fact, his love for BBQ was so great, that he could not resist the urge to prepare many of his own favorites on a fairly regular basis. He did things his own way, with his own recipes, and the most famous was his signature slow cooked ribs. At one point in time, during his days as a truck driver, his ribs from home became such a hit with friends and coworkers, he took it to the next level and began accepting orders, steadily preparing larger and larger batches between regular work hours to meet the new demand for his delicious creations. His ambition was unparalleled, and before long he was fulfilling regular orders each week. He was a natural born salesman in every way, and his powers of persuasion combined with his generous nature were the perfect pairing for a small time rib master.

John was very outspoken in practically all aspects, and his gift for storytelling was unlike anyone you could meet. Whether recalling one of his countless life experiences or creating bedtime stories from scratch for his children during their younger years, he was blessed with incredible attention to details and enough charisma to make a game of chess feel exciting. Needless to say, if he was telling a tale, there was never a dull moment to be had. He was the best type of friend that a person could hope for, and he was quick to seize every opportunity to make new ones. He was gracious in times of need, and you could always rely on him to show up when called upon for help; if it was within his power, then he would be there.

John is survived by his wife, Judy Quick Strubell, five children, John Charles Strubell II, Jillian Michelle Strubell, Jennifer Carolyn Harley (Greg Harley), Julia Amelia Strubell-Moreno, Jeffery Glynn Strubell and eight grandchildren, Damon Heaton Wardle Strubell, Aria Ann Wardle Strubell, Eric George Reinhold, Emmett Grey Harley, Everly Rose Harley, Ren William Moreno, Jade Harmony Moreno and Marcellus Demitri Moreno. He was known for his unconditional love and devotion to his family.

He is also survived by four of his six siblings, Diana L. Chaffin, Harvey G. Strubell, Timothy O. Strubell and Christopher S. Strubell, as well as many nieces and nephews. John was preceded in death by his parents, his infant brother, Jeffery Scott Strubell, his sister, Carolyn S. Strubell, his brother Larry W. Strubell, his nephew, Joshua James Strubell, and his great-nephew, Alexander Michael Pandelos.

A funeral will be held in his honor on Saturday, October 17th, 2026 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located at 496 S River Way, Lehi, UT, 84043 in the Jordan Willows community. A viewing will be held from 9:00 am until 10:30 am, and the funeral service will begin at 11:00 am. All are welcome to attend and help in honoring this incredible man. For those who wish to be with us but cannot, a Zoom link will be made available so that they may be able to participate from afar.

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