Obituary of Walter "Mike" Straube

Walter Michael "Mike" Straube, 72, of West Columbia, South Carolina, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family at Lexington Medical Center on Saturday, March 16. He was born on April 17, 1951, in Berlin, Germany, to Ursula Hildegarde Straube.

Mike was a loving husband, father, and grandfather, who cared for his family more than anything else in this world. He never spent much time or money on himself. Everything he did was to support and provide for his family and dote on his grandchildren. The grandchildren loved nothing more than a ride on Grandpa's lawnmower or eating his expertly made chocolate chip cookies.

Some of the families’ fondest memories are vacations to Garden City Beach and evening card games of Uno or Rummy.

In addition to his wife Laura Straube, Mike is survived by his daughter, Lisa Straube McGee, husband Mike, and grandchildren, Patrick and William; his son, Stephen Straube, wife Mallory, and grandchildren, Shelby and Paisley. He is preceded in death by his mother, Ursula Stanfield and stepfather, William Stanfield.

Mike married the love of his life, Laura Cathey, on May 6, 1972. They spent 51 years building a life together in Cayce and West Columbia, South Carolina. Mike graduated from Columbia High School in 1969 and worked in the auto sales industry for most of his life. He enjoyed bowling competitively in his 20s and 30s.

Visitation is scheduled for Wednesday, March 20 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Thompson Funeral Home located at 4720 Augusta Highway, Lexington, SC 29073. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Mike's life.