Jason VON STRAUSSENBURG, Rest in Peace
A Santa Barbara friend sent me this obituary notice which deserves a wider audience.
VON STRAUSSENBURG, Jason
March 15, 2009 9:15 AM
1948 - 2009
The most free spirited, unique, imaginative, creative and loving person many of us have ever known has moved forward to his next adventure.
Jason was liked by anyone who met him, even his friends! There was no lack of camaraderie and pranksterism. Practical physics, chemistry with a bang, high voltage electricity and anything mechanical were a few of his hobbies.
As a shop technician at the University of California Santa Barbara for the last score of years, Jason designed, built and maintained sophisticated laboratories for the high level of research and teaching conducted there. It was a career made in heaven for such a creative mind.
While working at The Isla Vista European Autohaus in the 1970s and 80s, Jason began and completed one of his most ambitious accomplishments: the building of THE STARSHIP ANDROMEDA, a Convair 240 airplane fuselage transformed into the largest known aircraft motorhome, complete with hot tub and original controls for pilot and co-pilot. This huge vehicle participated in our local parades and toured the country, turning heads and even interrupting freeway traffic as drivers stopped to take photos. During these years, he was also famous (infamous) for changing the marquee at the Magic Lantern Theatre across the street to very amusing titles, as well as riding his motorcycle through the theatre and onto the stage during midnight showings of Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Jason is survived by his especially loving wife Angela, his son Josh, stepson Andrew Sollars, several ex-girlfriends and wives, all of whom still love him, and weird friends too numerous too mention.
A memorial service is planned for March 21, 5-8 PM, at the Devereaux CliffHouse, (UCSB West Campus where he and Angela were married).
Jason touched many of us, some of you women several times, and he is dearly missed. So goodbye Jason our friend, it wasn’t always an easy childhood, but it was a long one.