Robert Struble
Robert Struble of Springfield passed away on December 8, 2023, after a long and valiant battle with Parkinson’s disease.
He was born February 17, 1947, in Los Angeles, California, to Robert and Margie Dawn Struble, both deceased, and grew up in La Cañada, California.
After graduating from La Cañada High School, he earned a B.A. in biology from Clarement Men’s College and an M.A. and Ph.D. in experimental psychology from the University of California at Riverside. He did a post-doctoral fellowship at Purdue University, then joined the faculty of Johns Hopkins University, and in 1988 joined the faculty of Southern Illinois University in Springfield. In these medical schools he trained students in neurology and neuropathology, carried out research on Alzheimer’s and related diseases, and directed tissue collections supporting research on diseases of the human brain. He was a member of the Society for Neuroscience. After he retired from SIU in 2012 he was an adjunct faculty member at Eastern Illinois University where he taught human anatomy for a year.
In addition to his many professional accomplishments, Bob was an athlete (track in high school and water polo in college) and a musician (old-time fiddle, banjo, and harmonica). For several years he also taught a short course on fly fishing at Lincoln Land Community College.
Bob met his wife, Leslie, while both were undergraduate students in Claremont. They enjoyed a long and wonderful marriage. Together they managed their careers, raised their son, and spent their precious free time hiking and fishing. Bob taught her to back-pack and fly fish—arguably the biggest mistake he ever made. As they approached retirement, Bob and Leslie bought a cabin in the mountains of Wyoming where they spent several months each year. Summer in the mountains and winter in Illinois was a special way to wind down a full and active life. Bob is survived by his wife Leslie Struble of Springfield, IL, his son Robert Struble of Rochester, IL, his grandchildren Robin Struble and Mara Struble of Rochester, and his brother Thomas Struble (Mary) of Oceanside California.
Bob donated his body to the medical school where he worked and taught, so students there are still able to learn from him. No service is planned at this time, but friends and family will gather in the spring to remember him--his humor and his accomplishments. In lieu of flowers and in recognition of the difficulty in treating this debilitating disease, the family encourages donations to the Parkinson’s Foundation.
Wilson Park Funeral Home in Rochester is assisting the family with arrangements.
