Robert T. (Bob) Sterling

POLSON — Robert T. (Bob) Sterling, 90, died Friday, March 10, 2006, at his cabin on Flathead Lake in Polson due to heart failure. He was surrounded by family and died facing the Flathead Lake that he loved.

He was born July 4, 1915, in the family home in Ronan to Addison M. and Bessie Farrell Sterling. The house was built in 1910 by A.M. Sterling and is on the southeast edge of town.

Bob graduated from Ronan High School and enrolled, at age 17, in Carroll College, in Helena and graduated in 1938. He also attended the University of Montana and he attended the University of Montana Law School from 1938-1939.

On Sept. 9, 1940 he married Clara Cornelius. They celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary Sept. 9, 2005.

In his younger days he enjoyed hunting trips into the Bob Marshall with area outfitters, trips with his hunting partners in the St. Regis area, as well as many duck, goose and pheasant hunts. He took great pride in teaching 12 grandchildren to water ski and coached "some 300" first time skiers.

For several years following retirement they went to Scottsdale, Arizona in the winter and spent summers on Flathead Lake. They wintered in Missoula for several years and then moved to St. Joseph Assisted Living in 2004.

In 1905, his father, A. M. Sterling purchased the trading post in Ronan Springs, received a government Indian Trader's license, and established the A.M. Sterling Company. He enlarged the store, and rebuilt the Sterling Hotel after the original log structure burned in 1906, and A.M. became the first major businessman of the area.

After his father suffered a stroke in 1939 Bob ran the store until 1962. The family moved to Medford, Ore., for a year then moved back to their beloved Montana in 1963. He worked in Missoula for 16 years in the right-of-way acquisition area of the real estate department of the Montana Power Company .

Bob was active in a number of organizations including the Ronan Lions Club — president one year; Ronan Chamber of Commerce, secretary two years and president one year; and was a 30-year member of the Ronan Volunteer Fire Department.

He was instrumental with others in organizing and establishing the Lake Co. Junior Fair. The fair started as an Achievement Day held in the grade school with a few head of livestock tied in front of the school. He worked tirelessly on this project until he moved from Ronan in 1962.

He was a member of the Montana Hardware and Implement Association, president one year; the Montana Citizens Freight Rate Association, director for two years; and the National Council of Catholic Men- Kalispell Deanery, president 1961.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother George, sister Margaret Brooke and grandson Dan Sterling.

He is survived by his wife Clara, six children, son Rob aka Robin (Peg), Missoula, their children Rob, Beth, John, Ann, and Thomas; daughter Janet (John) Fine, Helena, and their sons David and John; son Jack (Carol), Billings, and their children Amy and John; son Joe, Billings: son Cory aka Neil, Milwaukee, Wisc.; and daughter Mary (Tom) Moe, Idaho Falls, and their children Anna Marie and Bill and 11 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, brother-in-law and sisters-in-law Lawrence and Lorraine Cornelius and Myrtle Hawkins, and cousins Myrna Farrell Holley of Polson and Mrs. Tom Farrell of Polson.

The family thanks Dr. David Gorman and Dr. George Reed, the nursing staff at St. Joseph Hospital, the staff at St. Joseph Assisted Living and Lake County Hospice for their care.

Funeral services were Tuesday, March 14, at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Polson.

It was Bob's request that memorials be made to Loyola Sacred Heart Foundation, 300 Edith Ave, Missoula 59801 or the charity of one's choice.