Martin “Marty” Carl Strohofer, age 53, died Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, after a hard-fought battle with acute myeloid leukemia.
A beloved member of the funeral service supplier community, he began working in deathcare many years ago with Aurora Casket, before it was acquired by Matthews International.
At Aurora, he served as vice president of marketing and product development — a title he kept after the company became Matthews Aurora Funeral Solutions.
According to his obituary, he was born in Cincinnati, Ohio January 10, 1973, to the late Raymond and Joyce (nee Seibel) Strohofer. His obituary goes on to state:
Marty graduated from Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism before embarking on a 25-year career at Matthews International. Marty was deeply involved in the community life of LaSalle High School and St. James Elementary. He was a coach and mentor to generations of local youth and the voice of the LaSalle Lancers’ broadcast for 24 years. A lover of music, Marty grew up playing piano in his parents’ basement, trombone in the LaSalle High School marching band, and enjoyed a lifetime of Frank Sinatra and the Beach Boys. Marty was a devout Catholic throughout his life. He served on the Cincinnati Catholic Cemetery Society’s Board of Directors for 24 years, was a Trustee of the LaSalle Board of Limited Jurisdiction in the Marketing and Enrollment Committee, and was a recent recipient of the LaSalle Cornerstone Award.
Marty was preceded in death by his beloved parents and his grandmother Louise Sartorius. Marty is survived by his loving wife of 19 years, Jennifer Strohofer (nee Burkhardt). He was a loving sibling to Michael (Stephanie) Strohofer and Jill (Edwin) Inoa. He was a devoted father to Christopher (Ellana) Strohofer, Abigail (Dustin) Gilkerson, Ian (Lily) McConnaughey, and Landon Strohofer.
The visitation will be held at LaSalle High School’s Chapel (3091 N. Bend Rd.) Wednesday, February 4th from 5 to 8 p.m. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. James the Greater Church (3565 Hubble Rd.) Thursday, February 5th at 10:30 a.m. Burial to follow at St. James Cemetery. A Celebration of Life will be at the Knights of Columbus on Blue Rock Road from 12 to 4 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in memory of Marty to LaSalle High School www.lasallehs.net or to Blood Cancer United P.O. Box 22324, New York, NY 10087.
The Profession Mourns
Members of the deathcare community honored Strohofer with tributes on his funeral home guestbook as news of his death circulated.
“I had the pleasure to work with Marty in my years with Matthews Aurora and to office right across the hall,” wrote Mary Russell. “Such a creative, smart and kind man. May God grant him peace and comfort to his beautiful family.”
Angelique Simpson, another co-worker, wrote, “Marty and I worked together and I always marveled at his creativity and insight. He wasn’t just a colleague; he was a friend. Soar on to greater heights Marty and thank you for being a one of the good guys.”
Dean Lambert, the former vice president of corporate communications at Homesteaders Life Company and now the executive director of the Life Insurers Council, wrote, “Some of my best career memories and accomplishments involve Marty. I have missed working and brainstorming with him. I will remember fondly the days when we would see each other long before convention-goers arrived as we both led expo display setup for our companies. He was one of the most even-keeled, generous, and honest people I had the pleasure to know, and, reading his obituary, it is no surprise he was a blessing to many, many others.”
Rob Paterkiewicz, executive director of Selected Independent Funeral Homes, wrote, “On behalf of the membership and staff of Selected Independent Funeral Homes, we offer our condolences to Marty’s family and friends. Marty was a friend and supporter to our organization and our membership, and we are grateful for our time with him. Rest in peace, Marty.”
Cindy Comperchio wrote, “I was very fortunate to have worked with Marty at Aurora for a number of years. Not only was he great to work for, but he was creative, a true team-player, leader, and cared about the people he worked with. Most of all, he always showed that his family and his faith came first. We had many enlightened discussions about this! The world was a better place with Marty in it, and his loss will be felt by many for a long time. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family as well as to the Matthews-Aurora family. God Speed, Marty.”
Arrangements are by Mihovk-Rosenacker Funeral Home.
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