RBH Stroop

RBH Stroop - ca. 1924

Rutherford Burchard Hayes STROOP was born on 17 Mar 1877 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania to Wilson Conrad STROOP (1840-1911) and Emma Lenora FORKUM (1841-1927). He died in Cocoli, Panama Canal Zone (CZ), on 21 Sep 1951; he was 74. Burial was on 26 Sep 1951 in Corozal American Cemetery in the Panama CZ. See Memorial #19246307 on findagrave.com.

RBH Stroop - ca. 1947

In 1914, Hayes and his half-brother, Samuel “Noble” Stroop went to the Panama CZ to do finish carpentry on the newly constructed Administration Building, in Balboa. He later went back to the  Canal Zone to do other carpentry work. Sometime around 1917 or 1918, he brought his whole family down and they made their home there.

I REMEMBER DAD

by

CLYDE

I remember my Dad, a very dignified and dapper young man, and a (still young looking!) dignified, mellow, and more understanding father in his later years. I guess I was a big disappointment to him, with good reason, but at all times I deeply respected him and understood his old-fashioned prejudices more than he suspected.

I remember his concern for his family, especially the girls, and his tenderness to Mother in her final sickness.

I remember him asking me, when Mother took up Christian Science, (almost in a pleading voice), not to say anything against it, explaining that she got a great deal of solace from it. So, altho he was not a demonstrative man, he was at heart kind and understanding. 

I remember Dad had it pretty tough when I was young, but he never gave up, and always got us enough to eat and had a roof over our heads. I loved him and am truly sorry I was not as good a son to him as perhaps I should have been.

He was a Dad to be proud of!

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I REMEMBER FATHER
By
HESTER

I remember Father as being quite the handsome Beau Brummell, even when I was quite small. He was such a good looking fellow, and even when I was just about 4 years of age he took me to town with him and I was so happy because he said he wanted to.  

I remember one time when we lived in the country, a place called Valencia, he brought some friends home for the week-end (he worked in the city - Pittsburgh) and came home on the week-ends). They had a party on Saturday nite and we children were put to bed but we did not have to go to sleep. Father came up to check on us at intervals and once he asked me why the tears? I had been singing, not crying, and I told him I had drank so much water it was coming out of my eyes.

I also remember how concerned Father was when we children or Mama was sick. He was always beside himself with anxiety. One time especially, Father was so concerned about Ethel when she had Typhoid, he came home in the middle of the day to see how she was. Another time, later in years, Hayes was in the hospital with pneumonia and I remember Father thought he (Hayes) was going to die and he wept real tears. I think that was the first time I ever saw him cry. It was then that I realized how much Father really loved us. I think I took him for granted up ‘till then.

I don’t think I will ever forget how proud I was of Father when he came home from Panama the time I was in my teens. All of my girlfriends were so impressed.

Another thing I remember about Father was that he looked so young he was often taken for my husband instead of my Father.

I also remember how strict he was. I thought he was too strict until I was married and away from home. Then I was very grateful that he was strict. 

Father’s later years were just short visits to me that I remember, but how I looked forward to those visits! The last visit he made was really the very best of all. True, it was the longest, but I really got quite close to Father then and I learned to love him more than ever before.

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I REMEMBER FATHER

By
ETHEL

I remember Father when he used to take me to the Band Concerts each Sunday night at Cathedral Plaza. Sometimes Mary Halligan would go along, but mostly we went by ourselves and would walk ‘round the Plaza and I’d be so proud of what a good-looking Father I had!

One time, though, I asked if I might go for a ride with Bill Allen and instead of riding we sneaked off to a dance at the Union Club, and Father somehow found out we were there and he came after me and took me home because he didn’t approve of dancing on Sunday.

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I REMEMBER FATHER

By
HAYES

I remember Father every time I look in a mirror! - Need I go any further into this subject? - Unreasonably tough on his children in their youth - interspersed with acts of extreme kindness - like the time, in Corozal, when a quarter meant the difference between my usual poverty at the time - and Heaven - he reached into his pocket and pulled out a Twenty Dollar bill and gave it to me;- the time Violet and I were in Philadelphia on my 21st Birthday, and I received a long letter from him telling me how proud he was of me -(what for has always remained a mystery). How he mellowed as the years wore on - how good he was - after all!

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I REMEMBER DADDY  
By
VIOLET

I remember Daddy - Once Christmas Eve, Daddy took Mama, Bertie, Doris and me for a ride in “The Cadillac” convertible. The three of us kids sat in the rumbleseat and we were all (Mama and Daddy too) singing Christmas Carols at the top of our lungs - as per usual - when, right in the middle of the residential section at the foot of the Union Church hill, the car sputtered suddenly - and died! There we all were with our mouths wide open in all the silence that followed - and we (or at least, I) were all at that stage where we were embarrassed to death! Had to all troop out of the car and walk home!

I remember Daddy - teasing Bobbie Ann and getting that wonderful twinkle in his eye!

My Dad lived in great dignity and died in great dignity!

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I REMEMBER DADDY
By
BERTIE

I remember Daddy when he had his bow-tie picture taken. He and I went down to the Marina Studio in Panama - on Central Avenue - and he went in and put on his stiff collar and the tie. Did he ever look handsome! The Duke himself!

And I remember Daddy putting pepper on his eggs! Already black, he just kept shaking more on - until Doris and I were shrieking with horror because he just would not be able to eat those eggs - we thought - so then he’d eat them!

And I remember Daddy going to the Clubhouse to play pool - and I remember when he took Mother and I to the States on his vacation to New York in the “suite” on the boat, and then the trip to Charleston to pick up Hester and then down thru L. A. and on to Texas where we went to meet Christine Zeeck’s family - and some of Carl’s too. Daddy always loved Carl and Christine.

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I REMEMBER DADDY
By
DORIS

My fondest memories of Daddy started when I was about 19 and then after I had been married about 2 years. He was a wonderful, distinguished man that I was proud as Lucifer to introduce to my friends as my father. He was wonderful to my husband and my children. 

I remember how he used to love to take the children and go for long rides. He would go down to the Mexican border and over to Coronado Island on the ferry. So easily pleased, and so willing to please - that was my Daddy.

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I REMEMBER PAP-PAP
By
BOBBIE ANN

Being the most handsome, debonaire man in my life!
Calling me on that dread whistle, and knowing I’d better come a’running!
Putting buckets of pepper on his eggs!

Being the most wonderful Grandfather in the world!!

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I REMEMBER MY GRANDFATHER

By
WILLARD

A tall, dignified gentleman - one who didn’t have to act the part - but who was the personification of the word.

A man who believed in himself and thereby gave strength to the meaning of “Head-of-the-family”. 

An artisan of first quality workmanship who believed in God and tried to live accordingly.

A man who had faults, which made him more of a man.

If I could walk in his footsteps, I’d be proud.

He was my Grandfather!

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