Longtime WSM and Grand Ole Opry executive Martin Jerome “Jerry” Strobel, Sr. passed away peacefully at the age of 84 on February 24, 2025, with family by his side.
Jerry was born on April 6, 1940, in the Germantown neighborhood of Nashville to Mary Catherine and Martin George Strobel. Jerry’s father passed away when he was just 7 years old. As the oldest boy, even at this young age, Jerry took on the mantle of “man of the house.” As the story goes, when Jerry learned of his father’s death, the little boy’s first steps were to the dirt floor cellar to stoke the coal furnace so his family would be warm that cold December night.
This loss helped to foster in Jerry the values he prized: rugged individualism, self-reliance, and a strong work ethic, blended with an emphasis on integrity and honesty.
Jerry grew up a few doors down from Assumption Catholic Church. The Church played an almost ever-present role in Jerry’s life. Jerry attended elementary school at Assumption; played hours and hours of ball in the schoolyard and hide and seek in the Buddeke Clubhouse; and spent summers painting the Church, digging out the basement to add HVAC ductwork, and any other tasks its pastor, Father Dan Richardson, needed the boys of the neighborhood to do. This included serving countless masses, baptisms, and funerals. Father Dan became a second father to Jerry, and he named one of his sons after him.
Later in life Jerry helped found and run Oktoberfest, Nashville’s oldest festival, which benefitted Assumption Church and the neighboring Monroe Street United Methodist Church. He also would later serve as choir director and wedding coordinator at Assumption.
Jerry graduated from Father Ryan High School in 1958, and Vanderbilt University in 1966. While at Vanderbilt, he played baseball for the Commodores, making him one of the original “Vandy Boys.” After graduation, Jerry took a job surveying, worked for the Nashville Public Library, and sold advertising for the Yellow Pages. Jerry also served 7 years in the Tennessee National Guard
Jerry became the promotions manager for WSM Radio and the Grand Ole Opry in 1970. For 30 years, Jerry worked with a group of people he truly loved as family. As he wrote to his Opry family at the time of his departure, “I feel very fortunate, and in a way blessed, to have worked with, worked for, and learned from some of the true legends in the history of entertainment. And I was very fortunate and privileged to have been a very, very small part of the Golden age of the Grand Ole Opry … and to have known a galaxy of extraordinary personalities and entertainers who have since moved on to hillbilly heaven.”
While with the Opry, he worked with the local and national media and handled the details involved with various celebrities performing at the Opry. His role expanded, and he eventually was the Opry House Manager and helped start Fan Fair, which is now known as CMA Fest. He also oversaw the operations of the Opry House itself when it was one of the only venues in Nashville in which touring acts could perform. Along the way, he met six U.S. presidents and witnessed the artistry of performers from Sinatra to Springsteen, Bob Hope to Robin Williams, and, especially, the great country artists from Roy Acuff, Minnie Pearl, and Bill Monroe to the superstars of today.
Upon his exit from the Opry, country music journalist and historian Robert Oermann noted to the Nashville Scene that, “Jerry has just always been there. He was everything at the Opry – publicist, Opry House manager, a shoulder to cry on for the acts. Everything he did, he did with a tremendous amount of kindness. He was and is a gentleman in the truest sense of the word.”
In his farewell letter to his Opry Family, Jerry reminisced, “It’s been a good run and a lot of fun. And I wish only the very best for the Grand Ole Opry. This show business phenomenon is a national treasure that should be preserved, embraced and strengthened so future generations can experience its incredible energy, electricity and magic.”
One of Jerry’s other passions was music. A classically trained tenor, Jerry was offered the opportunity to travel to Europe to further his music education with the great masters of the era. He demurred, wanting to stay close to home and help take care of his mother and ailing aunt and begin a family of his own.
In Nashville, Jerry’s extraordinary voice and musical talent touched countless lives. As a beloved choir member and director at Christ the King Catholic Church for nearly 20 years, he inspired the congregation with his passion and dedication. Later in life, he returned to Assumption Church, where he led the choir for another dozen years. Yet, his influence extended far beyond the churches he served – his magnificent voice echoed through Catholic parishes across Middle Tennessee, bringing comfort at funerals, joy at weddings, and a deep sense of faith to all who heard him sing.
A tenor, Jerry’s voice rang with a clear, bright and light tone mixed with a richness and depth not typically found in the tradition. It was this blend that added a remarkable energy and vibrancy to his performances – and created a strong emotional connection with his listeners. Of all the incredible voices heard from the Grand Ole Opry stage, those who knew him often remarked that perhaps one of the greatest voices was backstage. Now, his voice lives in heaven, joining the choir of angels.
Another great passion for Jerry was sports – not just playing but coaching and shaping young lives through the game. A talented all-around athlete, Jerry excelled in baseball, basketball, and other sports, and was always confident in his abilities. He was often heard jokingly saying, “If it rolls or bounces, I can play it.” And play it he did, competing on courts, ballfields, and in backyards long after many his age had stepped away.
As much as he loved playing, his true calling was coaching. With patience, skill, and an unwavering belief in his players, he mentored hundreds of young athletes in basketball and baseball over the years teaching skills, building confidence, and instilling a winning attitude. His knowledge and encouragement left a lasting impact on both his players and the community.
The Grand Ole Opry, music, and sports may have been his passions, but his family was his true guiding light. Alongside his wife of 55 years, Pat Holzapfel Strobel, he instilled in his family a love for life, a dedication to hard work, and the importance of embracing life with humor. He believed in diligence and professionalism but never taking things too seriously – because life is meant to be enjoyed. Nowhere was this more evident than in the time he spent with his grandchildren – who lovingly called him Pappy. Whether it was sharing “Pappy donuts,” feeding the ducks at Centennial Park, cheering them on at sports games, recitals, and plays, getting ice cream, or making trips to McDonald’s, every moment with them brought him joy, lifted his spirits, filled his days with laughter, and made his heart full.
Jerry was preceded in death by his wife Patricia Holzapfel Strobel, his parents, Mary Catherine Schweiss and Martin George Strobel, and siblings Veronica (Tom, deceased) Seigenthaler and Father Charles Strobel.
He is survived by his sister Alice (Bob) Eadler as well as his six children, Amelia Strobel (Bob) Glenn, Martin (Ashley) Strobel, Merrill (Robbie) Bohren, Daniel (Carrie) Strobel, Margaret (Mark, deceased) Pyburn, and Morgan (Sara) Strobel; and 17 grandchildren: Tricia and Braden Glenn; Ann Gailor, Sullivan, Charlotte, and Gavin Strobel; Catherine Bohren; Alex, Ben, and Sam Strobel; Mary Catherine, Mark, Amelia, Helen, and Mimi Pyburn; and Andrew and Rosemary Strobel.
Throughout his life, Jerry lovingly teased and was teased by his Holzapfel in-laws, including: Merrill (Ray) Hare, Paula (Bob, deceased) Long, Helen (John, deceased) Kohl, Everett (Mary Claire, deceased) Holzapfel, Carole (James) Donnelly, Theresa (Jack) Hughes, Dorothy (Dick) Sollee, Rita (Pat) Thompson, Morgan (Sally) Holzapfel, Cathy (Joe, deceased) Caldwell, Steve (Sue) Holzapfel, Susie (Terry) Rowland, Barbara (Bill, deceased) Hobbs, and John (Lisa) Holzapfel.
Visitation is from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. followed by the Rosary at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 6, at The Buddeke House of Assumption Catholic Church, 1226 7th Ave. N. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Friday, March 7, at Christ the King Catholic Church, 3001 Belmont Boulevard. Immediately following, remains will be interned at Calvary Cemetery. https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/nashville-tn
Pallbearers include his nieces and nephews.
A special thank you to the caregivers who took such exceptional care of Jerry during the last months of his life.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Pat Holzapfel Strobel Legacy Grant at Christ the King School, Room In The Inn, or The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church.
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