Members

MI^LMT OrBob Storbeck could talk about himself if hewas pressed into it, but more often he would beatyou to the punch and always ask how you weredoing.Concern for his fellow man. No matter how hefelt, or the trials and tribulations he faced, he worriedabout others first.Storbeck, a member of Cowley's Board ofTrustees since 1994, died Jan. 24, 1997. He was72.He was past chairman of the Board ofTrustees, but he preferred to influence from a muchlower profile. He was a strong supporter of the collegein every respect, and did it in a quiet, dignifiedmanner."I have some pictures of Bob and me," CowleyPresident Dr.Pat McAtee said as he addressed afaculty meeting just days after Storbeck's death."He was just here. He was a true friend of mine andthe college's. He will be sorely missed."Storbeck, from Winfield, had been unable toattend Board meetings for a few months prior tohis death. In December 1996, fellow trusteesAlbert Bacastow Jr., Patti Hunter, Dennis Shurtz,Ron Godsey, and Terry Tidwell voted to honorStorbeck by naming the Third Street Dormitory the Robert Storbeck Dormitory. Also established in hisname was the D. Robert Storbeck Scholarship at Cowley.Storbeck was born April 14, 1924 in Vassar, Kan. He graduated from Lyndon High School in 1942.During World War II he served in the U.S. Army as a private first class from 1943 to 1946 in the SouthPacific in the 2018th Ordinance Maintenance unit attached to the U.S. Air Force. From 1946 toserved as a second lieutenant in the Reserve Officer Training Corps.In1950 he1950 he graduated from the University of Kansas School of Business. He attended post graduateschool at Indiana University and the University of Oklahoma.On Aug. 7, 1949 he married Helen Irene Manka. The couple had two sons, Chris of Peachtree City, Ga.,and Scott of Decatur, Ga. Storbeck also had two sisters, Eldora Storbeck Middleton of Lyndon, and RubyStorbeck Oberhelman of Topeka. All are survivors.Life-long service was as much a part of Storbeck's lifeas anything. He had a long association withRotary International, and had been a member of the Winfield Rotary Club since 1954. He was president ofthe club from 1961 to 1962. In 1970-71, Storbeck served as district governor of Rotary District 569.In 1989, Storbeck was selected as leader of a Rotary Group Study Exchange that took he and his wife,as well as four young women, to the Philippines promoting "Peace and Goodwill" on a cultural and vocationalmission.For more than 40 years, Storbeck was a member of the First United Methodist Church and held numerouspositions there. There are countless other clubs and organizations where Storbeck gave community support.Storbeck was a quiet role model who lived by example, never drawing attention to himself, but ratherfocusing on the needs of others.