Louella Strouse passed away, surrounded by her family, at 1:00 p.m. Monday, November 14, 2022 at The Oaks in Pleasant Gap. Louella was born on September 20, 1936 in Howard, Pa. to Lloyd A. and Alma V. (Walker) Smith who proceeded her in death. She was a 1954 graduate of Lock Haven High School. She accepted a job as an executive secretary with the Hammermill Paper Company in Lock Haven in the fall of 1954 and worked there until the birth of her first son in 1961. She kept in touch with a group she referred to as the “Papermill Girls” until she could no longer drive a couple of years ago. Louella returned to the workforce many years later working at Penn State University in housing and food services. She moved to a job as sales leader at the Penn State Creamery and eventually retired from that position in September 1998. This was a job she loved and never stopped reminiscing.
Louella was proceeded in death by a son, Lynn R. Strouse (Lisa) in June 2010, a daughter-in-law, Pamela Strouse in November 2017 and a brother, Eugene Smith (Jane) in 2007. She is survived by sons Scott Strouse of Centre Hall, Steven Strouse (Melissa) of Howard, daughter-in-law Lisa Strouse of Zion, brother, James Smith (Joyce) of Howard. Louella dearly loved her grandchildren Thomas James Strouse of Centre Hall, Erica Lounder (Justin) of Mechanicsburg, Kurtis Strouse (Kelly) of Centre Hall, Kylie Kling (Brad) of Howard, Logan Strouse (Brooke) of Centre Hall, Corey Strouse (Kathryn) of Zion and Takara Strouse of Howard. She was additionally blessed with seven great grandchildren; Maxwell Lounder, Grayson Kling, Ava Lounder, Kaden Strouse, Alaina Kling, Beckett Strouse and Madeline Lounder. Great grandchild (son) number eight is due in March 2023.
Louella was a long-time member of the United Methodist Church in Lamar where she was a member of the Women’s Society and a Sunday School teacher. In 1990 she transferred her membership to the Trinity United Church of Christ (now Trinity Reformed) Hublersburg, in order to worship with local friends and neighbors. She was very involved in many aspects of the Trinity family and was most noted for her quilting project. Each year the quilters worked to produce warm blankets for donations to overseas and local charities. There were more than one thousand quilts produced and distributed during the period of Louella’s work with this project. Twenty of these quilts were donated directly to the Old of the Cold Centre County program four years ago.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Kader-Neff Funeral Home in Howard. Visitation will be held at the Howard facility on Sunday, November 20, 2022 from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. The funeral will be held Monday, November 21, 2022 again at Kader-Neff Funeral Home. The Reverend Larry Strouse, Louella’s long-time friend and brother-in-law, will be the officiant. Burial will be next to her father and mother in Schencks Cemetery, Howard.
Louella’s family would like to publicly thank the management, staff and residents of The Oaks in Pleasant Gap for the kindness, care and friendship bestowed on her during her six-year residency there.