Obit Draft

Eric Strelow
Obit Draft
Philip Strelow
Philip M. Strelow, a giving friend and nonstop debater, died last Wednesday after drowning in freezing water at the Milwaukee County Zoo. He was 26.
He had fallen over the railing at the penguin exhibit and died surrounded by the black-and-white birds. Officials claim the penguins are innocent.
Philip was always busy in thought. Even when relaxing in front of the television he would listen to public radio. His thoughts were always easily transferred to words, though, and one could find oneself engrossed in a conversation with him for quite some time. A uninhibited public speaker, Phil could always capture an audience.
He participated in debate and band during his time at Appleton East High School and continued taking band in college. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin Green Bay in 2002 with a major in political science.
With a low demand of social science teachers, he found himself struggling to find a job. Working at Barnes & Noble and as a substitute teacher, his search for a steady job was never-ending. Being an avid reader, his job at the bookstore was a perfect match, as one could tell by the volumes on his bookshelves in his room.
One of Philip’s proudest moments was when he defended the Earth from aliens for 30 minutes with only a baseball bat. Sitting in a field in Roswell, N.M., he was sure the heavenly visitors felt threatened.
A comic at heart, Philip had a joking attitude towards life and would probably want people to laugh at his life in retrospect.