Obituary of Morton Stromberg

Morton Stromberg, aged ninety, passed away on January 10, 2025, after a brief battle with cancer, surrounded by family in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Carole Stromberg, sons Philip (Lesley) Stromberg and Paul (Anne) Stromberg, daughter Jennifer (Kevin) Amster, and grandchildren Ashley, Joshua, Jackson, Quinn, and Otto.

Mort was born on May 14, 1934, in the borough of Manhattan, and grew up near Columbia University, attending Stuyvesant High School, which specializes in developing talent in math, science and technology. Upon his graduation in 1951, he began studies at the City College of New York, earning a Bachelor of Civil Engineering in 1957. While working as a highway engineer in New York, he was drafted in 1961 to help fill vacancies in the Army that could not be filled through voluntary means, taking him south to Virginia, where he served at Fort Belvoir doing mapping for the Topography Lab. Upon discharge, Mort was offered a job to continue serving the Army as a civilian first at Fort Belvoir and then with the Department of Defense at the Pentagon. Mort loved to understand how things worked. He pursued additional engineering training and education at the Federal Executive Institute and the University of Maryland, retiring in 1988 at the government’s highest level of civilian service.

Mort’s career also introduced him to two of his life-long passions, the game of bridge and subsequently his favorite partner at the bridge table and in life, his wife Carole. While working for the Army, he met a group who played bridge at lunch every day. Curious about the game, he bought a book to learn more and then took lessons to grow his skills. In the mid-1970’s, Mort discovered duplicate bridge and for the rest of his life he could be found at the table many times a week. In retirement, he expanded his involvement by directing regional tournaments for the American Contract Bridge League. In 2019, he reached the rare achievement of Diamond Life Master from the ACBL.

No matter where Mort lived, from New York to Virginia to Florida to North Carolina, he was a solid fan of the New York Giants, both the football and baseball teams. His love of the game led him to coach both of his sons in Little League and later take an annual trip to Vegas with Phil and Paul on NFL opening weekend. He said his dream job would be to manage a professional baseball team.

Mort loved all sorts of ways to challenge his brain. He started each day doing five Sudoku puzzles and finished each one watching Jeopardy with Carole. He holds family bragging rights for guessing the Final Jeopardy answer - based solely on the category and not the question - three times! With a sharp mind and a sharp wit, Mort made everyone laugh and made everyone feel welcome. He never held back his opinion but respected and listened to others.

Everyone has a great Mort story. The family invites friends to share their favorite memories at this website. A private family remembrance will be held in the Spring. Donations may be made in Mort’s honor to UNC Hospice at www.uncmedicalcenter.org/uncmc/care-treatment/hospice/make-a-gift.

Arrangements are in the care of Walker’s Funeral Homes in Chapel Hill, NC. Online condolences may be shared at https://www.walkersfuneralservice.com.