Obituary of Richard A. Straub

Richard Straub, 80 years, died at his home on November 11, 2020. He was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Alvin and Shirley (Hightower). He was raised in Bartlesville, OK and moved to Madison, NJ with his family in 1956. A graduate of Madison High School, he also graduated Magna Cum Laude from Lehigh University in 1962. He then travelled across the country to U of Washington, Seattle for a teaching assistant/Master’s program. He became a technical writer for Philco in Mountainview, CA, attended Stanford University and later joined Pacific Telephone’s Management Advancement Program in Santa Clara, CA. After various positions in the San Francisco area he accepted a brief assignment in NYC with parent company, AT&T, and never returned West. He earned an MS from Pace U in 1982 and lived in Greenwich Village from 1978-1983, when his job moved to NJ. At the breakup of AT&T, in 1984, he was assigned to Bellcore and later joined NECA, where he was responsible for FCC matters on behalf of mostly rural telephone companies. He retired in 1998 as Director of Regulatory Affairs for NECA. He was a member of the Lehigh University Tower and Asa Packer Societies, a permanent board member of his Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity, a former board and exec committee member of Lehigh Wrestling Club, and longtime season ticket holder and supporter of Lehigh football and wrestling. Shortly before retirement, he became an avid fan of singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen, which led, through internet connections, to a wide circle of international friends. He travelled extensively throughout Europe and North America for many years with this group. Survived by wife, Linda of Morris Township and daughter Amy Straub of Toledo, Ohio. Arrangements are under the care of Burroughs, Kohr & Dangler Funeral Home, Madison.