Thomas C. Streb II

Thomas “Casey” Streb II, 78, of Altoona, passed away Thursday surrounded by his beloved wife of 51 years, Patricia, and his two daughters, Jennifer and Bridget.

Tom was born in Columbus, OH, son of the late Thomas C. and Betty (Darbro) Streb. He graduated from Canton Central High School in 1961, the University of Notre Dame in 1965, and served as an officer in the US Army from 1965-1967.

His special way with words, and his natural ability to connect and relate to everyone, made a career path in broadcasting and public relations an obvious choice. Tom, known to most as Casey, quickly became a local favorite during his early days at WRTA radio in Altoona. After many years on the radio airwaves, and always claiming he had a “face for radio,” his career took him to the “telly” on WTAJ-TV.

Tom’s time at WTAJ started with hosting a morning show and doing weather reports, before moving to the evening news and becoming one of the most recognizable faces in the area. He also hosted outdoor shows, highlighting everything from hiking to nature photography. During the summer he often reported the weather from the homes of local residents with swimming pools, gaining a reputation as the “Weatherman Who Hates Winter,” and subsequently led Casey’s Cruisers tour groups to beautiful Caribbean locations for over 25 years. Tom was a natural salesman, an artist with words, and a comedian with a sharp wit. He never hesitated to share knowledge or lessons that folks taught him in the hopes that others would be inspired the way that he was. 

In his later years, he most spoke about his family, who he loved even more than fly fishing and traveling. He was proudest of his wife, daughters, and their husbands. On any given day, he would be happy to recount tales about the adventures and he and his wife had in exotic tropical locations. If his daughters were the subject of conversation, he would gladly talk about Jennifer and her husband Kevin, their PhDs and teaching awards, or how Jennifer had the ability to solve any problem he encountered. Questions about his youngest, Bridget (who he often referred to as a “force of nature”), would lead to stories about her life in Los Angeles with her husband Randy, her career as a producer and script supervisor, and Randy’s Grammy-nominated music career.

Tom touched the lives of more people than he could have ever imagined, and former viewers in the Altoona area can still be heard referring to beautiful days with his catchphrase “hall of famers.” He was loved, respected, and will be missed by all who knew him.

Friends will be received from 10 a.m.-noon and 2-4 p.m. on Friday, June 10, 2022, at Sorge Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc. in Hollidaysburg, where a celebration of his life will follow immediately at 4 p.m. The service will be live streamed online for the convenience of out-of-town friends and family, as well those not vaccinated against Covid: www.sorgefuneralhome.com

In lieu of flowers, please make memorials to Bob Perks Cancer Assistance Fund: bobperksfund.org