Obituary of George R. Strakosch

STRAKOSCH, George resided in Albertson, NY for (37) years, moving to East Atlantic Beach and then Brick, NJ with his loving wife Margaret of over 43 years. George was predeceased by his wife Ada Charlotte Trautmann in 1969. George is survived by his wife, Margaret, daughters Susan (John Glasheen), Carol (Peter Sclafani), Kathy (Richard Ross), Georgeann (Richard Schmedake) and grandchildren Juliana (Guillermo Tunon), Richard and Kaitlin Ross, Nicole, Danielle and Gabrielle Sclafani. Brother of Walter and the late Frank Strakosch. George was born April 16, 1924, at 888 Columbus Ave, NY, NY, and moved to Whitestone in 1929, graduating from Bayside High School in 1941, joining the army in 1942, stationed in Panama until discharge in 1946. Taking advantage of the GI Bill he attended Drexel Institute of Technology in the cooperative education program graduating in 1953 with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, and working for the Otis Elevator Company. Received an MBA from NYU in 1961. Married to Ada Charlotte Trautmann on June 23, 1951 they resided in Darby, Pa. and Bayside, NY moving to Albertson in (1954.) Employed by the Otis Elevator Company in 1946 for 31 years, first as a construction assistant; rising to Manager of Special Installations and becoming one of the worlds foremost authorities on vertical transportation. He considered his publications, Vertical Transportation: Elevators and Escalators and its subsequent editions, finally evolving into The Vertical Transportation Handbook, The Bible of Elevatoring as the highest achievements of his career. The fourth edition, coedited with Robert Caporale was published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. in 2010. Joining the firm of Jaros, Baum and Bolles Consulting Engineers in NYC in 1977 he retired in 1987 and joined Elevator World Magazine as an educational leader. He served as President and founder of George Strakosch & Associates, a consulting engineering firm, and Chairman of the National Elevator Code Committee. In retirement he continued to pursue his many interests; museum quality model ship building, N-scale model railroading, writing his memoirs and the adventures of his alter ego Joe Liftemup. Visitation hours are Tuesday 3 to 7 at Weigand Brothers Funeral Home, 49 Hillside Avenue, Williston Park, N.Y. A Service at the Community Church of East Williston will be conducted on Wednesday at 10:00 am, 45 East Williston Ave, Williston Park, N.Y. Interment will follow at Long Island National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Georges memory to Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation, 356 Morgan Ave, Mobile, AL 36606-0273, Tel. 334-479-2199. The foundation was established in 1991 to educate the public in the safe and proper use of elevators and escalators through educational programs. His family wishes to express gratitude for the loving care given to him at the Concord Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center with special thanks to Shamy.