Sterling Stalford
August 14, 1932 — May 21, 2016
He met Laura McConnell in Long Beach in 1953, near the end of his time with the Navy. After being honorably discharged, Sterling and Laura were married November 27, 1954. After being married in Long Beach, they returned to Sterling’s home town of Corning for Sterling to begin work at the Corning Glass Works. They welcomed their first child, James on July 31, 1957.
Shortly after Jim’s birth, they moved to Los Angeles so that Sterling could finish his education. He received his Masters Degree in Economics from UCLA in 1961. They settled in Long Beach and Sterling began working for Douglas Aircraft Company. Sterling and Laura welcomed their second child, Linda, on February 8, 1962.
Some highlights from Sterling’s career at Douglas Aircraft Company are numerous. He began work in Santa Monica. He later transferred to Huntington Beach and was privileged to work on the Saturn V rocket. The Saturn V was a human rated rocket developed to support the Apollo program. This program took the Stalford family to Florida for two years. During these early years, Sterling developed friendships that have lasted throughout his life. These friends were very dear to him.
When they returned to California, Sterling spent many years in the procurement organization rising in the ranks and being promoted to Director of Procurement in Long Beach for McDonnell Douglas Aircraft. He was later promoted to Program Manager of the Navy T45-TS program. During this assignment, he qualified as a “Tail Hooker” and in Carrier Operations while at sea on the USS Lexington Aircraft Carrier. After Sterling’s retirement in 1989, he went to work for Weber Metals as their President. He later returned to McDonnell Douglas as a consultant.
Sterling’s career brought a significant amount of stress. His doctor once advised that he take weekends off from work and get a hobby. Always the over achiever, Sterling took his family to Green Valley Lake, California and began the multi-year project of building a cabin. This is where he taught his children how to pound a nail straight…and what to say when they hit their thumbs.
As dedicated as Sterling was to his career, he also had a strong sense of family. He took his family frequently to spend time with his brother Joe, in the San Diego area. Later, his vacation time was spent driving across the country to visit with his mother, Mary and his brother, Ron and his family in upstate New York.
While working at McDonnell Douglas, Sterling went to many universities in order to recruit talented students into the company. On one of these trips he struck up a friendship with one of the professors at Arizona State. This friendship led to Sterling and Laura acquiring property in the Prescott, Arizona area. They traveled there frequently to spend time with friends. They also traveled extensively to other areas of the U.S. and internationally. In later years, Sterling and Laura spent more time in their Prescott home and were known to frequent the American Legion hall with friends.
Sterling served on the board of directors of several organizations. The longest tenure, ending only a few weeks ago and spanning 37 years, was the Green Valley Mutual Water Company board. He also served on the McDonnell Douglas Credit Union and Old Ranch Townhome Association Boards of Directors.
Sterling was preceded in death by his father Clayton in 1952, his mother Mary in 1995, his daughter-in-law Suellen in 2010 and his brother Joe in 2012.
In lieu of flowers the family prefers donations to be made in Sterling's name to the American Cancer Society or the Alzheimer's Association.
Luyben Dilday Mortuary (562) 425-6401
www.luybendilday.com
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