[1] Straub earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Dartmouth College in 1943, and then a masters of business administration from the school in 1947.

[1] Straub worked at his construction firm until beginning his political career when he was elected to the Lane County Board of Commissioners in 1954.

[1] As State Treasurer, Straub worked to create the Local Government Investment Pool and the Oregon Public Employees Retirement System (PERS).

He appointed more women, minorities and disabled people to head state agencies than any previous Oregon governor.

[1] Other accomplishments included reducing the unemployment rate to 5% from 12% and working to end plans for the proposed controversial Mount Hood Freeway.

[2] Following his reelection defeat, Straub owned and operated farms in Salem, Springfield, Curtin, and Willamina.

He died on November 27, 2002, of complications from the disease in the Gateway Living Center nursing home in Springfield, Oregon at the age of 82.