Stroble, William A.

San Jose Mercury News (CA) - Sunday, February 4, 1996

During his long and varied career as a reporter, columnist and feature writer, William A. ''Bill'' Strobel was known for writing stories so beautifully crafted and styled that his editors enjoyed reading them as much as the newspaper's readers. 

''There were some stories that some people just didn't want to do,'' said Joanne Grant, a longtime friend and colleague of Mr. Strobel, who wrote for the San Jose Mercury News from 1973 until his retirement in the late 1980s. ''He would turn them into little masterpieces.'' 

''He was a tremendous writer who could take anything and turn it into a good story. He just had the magical touch.'' 

Mr. Strobel's newspaper career at the Mercury News and Oakland Tribune, spanning more than 40 years, was punctuated by other jobs, most notably serving as assistant press secretary for Gov. Ronald Reagan from 1967 to 1972. He also worked in public relations for Harrah's in South Lake Tahoe and for Pacific Gas & Electric Co. in San Francisco and San Jose, and as communications director for the state Republican Central Committee. 

But Mr. Strobel always returned to newspapering. Among his fellow reporters, he was not only respected for his writing ability but for his sensitivity for people and a wry sense of humor. He retained those characteristics even as he battled cancer in recent months, succumbing Friday at age 69.