Brian Lee Sterling

Brian Lee Sterling passed away at age 71 on October 27, 2026, at his home in Wichita, Kansas, following a protracted battle with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Brian died peacefully, surrounded by loving family members.

Brian was born on February 18, 1955, to Betty Sterling (née Mastenbrook) and Richard “Dick” Sterling. He grew up in Hoquiam, Washington, where he graduated from Hoquiam High School in 1973. After earning a degree in chemical engineering from Washington State University, Brian embarked on a career in the oil and gas industry that would take him across North America. In 1985, Brian married Eileen Weimann, with whom he would raise two children, Elizabeth and Robert. Brian and his family lived in New Jersey, Mississippi, and the US Virgin Islands before returning to Brian’s childhood hometown of Hoquiam. Upon retiring in 2015, Brian and Eileen relocated to Wichita, Kansas, to be nearer to their grandchildren.

Brian spent much of his career with Amerada Hess Corporation, beginning as a site engineer at the company’s refineries in St. Croix and New Jersey. After numerous promotions and several geographic moves, Brian assumed the general manager role at the company’s refinery in Mississippi and thereafter served as general manager for the company’s refinery in St. Croix (at the time the largest petroleum refinery in North America). Upon retiring from the oil and gas industry and returning to Hoquiam, Brian and two lifelong friends from high school founded Safe Harbor Technology, which pioneered the business model for outsourced customer and technical support during the dot-com era.

Throughout his life, Brian’s active mind, insatiable curiosity, and passion for living inspired him to pursue a wide range of hobbies. Brian was rarely without a book, even at a young age; he read voraciously across a wide range of topics, from fiction to history to science. Brian was a certified private pilot who enjoyed flying his twin-engine Beechcraft Duchess to small airports across the Caribbean while living in St. Croix. He was a skilled guitar player, playing in numerous church worship bands and rock-and-roll cover bands. Brian served as a square-dance caller, rode his bike for hours at a time, kayaked, and attended yoga classes at the YMCA. Brian found joy in keeping both mind and body active on a daily basis.

Brian also had a passion for serving people and serving his community. Throughout his life, he used his skills as an engineer to help others, including constructing wheelchair ramps for families in need in Hoquiam and building beds for children in Wichita with Sleep in Heavenly Peace. He was quick to volunteer, fiercely devoted to his friends, and steadfast in placing others before himself. In a long business career, Brian was always most proud of the work Safe Harbor did to create 200 high-quality technology jobs in his home community, which had been economically devastated by the decline of the local timber industry.

Brian and his wife, Eileen, were married 41 years. They had recently constructed a new house together, overlooking a pond where Brian would watch and feed migratory birds. Brian was a devoted grandfather, who loved to ride bikes, cook waffles, and play Christmas carols with his grandchildren.

Brian was preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Betty Sterling. He is held in fond memory by his wife, Eileen; his two children, Robert (Natalie) Sterling and Elizabeth (Michael) Lee; four grandchildren; and two brothers, Paul (Sandy) Sterling and Jim Sterling.

His family appreciates the outpouring of prayers and support during the final days of Brian’s life and would like to thank the consistently kind and compassionate nurses at Via Christi St. Francis for their loving care. His family also appreciates the wonderful care from his home health team from Ascension at Home Health Care and Compassus Hospice Care.

A viewing will be held Monday, November 9, from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Downing and Lahey West, followed by a visitation from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. A celebration of life for Brian is also scheduled for Tuesday, November 10, at 11:00 AM at Aldersgate United Methodist Church. Please consider bringing your favorite stories about Brian to share during the reception. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to a charity of the giver’s choice.

Services in care of Downing & Lahey West Mortuary.