Sterling-Memorial

Sterling Orser

January 17, 1964 - February 24, 2010

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The biological gene pool:

Great grandfather from Manchester England,

Biological father, (my second Husband) Jim Shapter, holding a one week old Sterling, Grandfather, Ed Shapter.

Both Sterling and Aaron however, always considered their step-father, Robert Orser, my x-husband no. 3, to be their Dad.

Sterling and Dana

Christmas 1964

Sterling and Aaron with Grandpa - 1967

Dana and Sterling

1967

Aaron and Sterling

1968

Aaron, Dana, Uncle Howard and Sterling - 1968

Sterling, Aaron and big sister, Dana - 1968

Aaron, Sterling and Dana

Taho - 1970

Sterling and Aaron

1970

Sterling and Aaron

Moon Bridge

Japanese Tea Garden

Golden Gate Park - S.F.

Point Reyes

Sterling and Duke Henrick

Sterling and Aaron Sterling and Donkey-Dear Sterling and Aaron Aaron and Sterling

A Boy and His Pig Aaron and Sterling with Dad Sterling on Donke Dear at Yosemity

Sterling and Aaron always considered their stepfather, Bob Orser to be their dad.

He took them fishing, back-packing, rock climbing, taught them to ride, made them SCA armor, and fully participated in their lives in so many ways.

Celtic Procession, Northern Renaissance Pleasure Faire - Novato

Sterling and Aaron

Queen' Court - Northern Renaissance Pleasure Faire - Novato

First Court

Aaron, Me and Sterling

Aaron, Father Christmas and Sterling

Dickens Fair - San Francisco

Mother Goose (me), Mr. Picwick and Sterling

Boars Head Procession - Dickens Fair - San Francisco

Aaron, me and Sterling

the morning we left for our first trip to England

Aaron and Sterling Sterling and Aaron

"Butch and Sundance"

Sterling and his Daughter Mhari

Mhari was killed at age 11

With daughter Sherry

With son Morgan

Sterling’s 16 year long companion,

Little Gofur Dog

Sterling at 440 pounds, shortley before moving in with Aaron and me.

When these pictures were taken I thought we had the bull by the tail. I had Sterling on a low sodium, low fat, diet and he lost over 140 pounds. He became a patient of the brilliant Dr. Witteles at Stanford’s cardiac care clinic. His heart function was improving and the future looked quite bright.

He was going to the pool every day, swimming and exercising. I thought we were home free. Unfortunately, he found it difficult to maintain a healthy regime and gradually slipped back into old patterns of eating and not exercising and his health steadly declined.

The nearly three years that Sterling lived with Aaron and me, here in Rohnert Park, may have been the happiest of his adult life. He made many, many friends, loved swimming and BBQing. He became the mentor for many of the single parent kids in the neighborhood and offered them experiences they might not otherwise have had. He became active in our residents association.

I had not seen much of Sterling during his three marriages. It was such a joy to have reconnected with him. Oh how I miss him.

Sterling

The BBQ King

A very happy Sterling with daughter Sherry and grandaughter Hanna, just weeks before he died.

Mother

Geraldine

Dad - Robert

Sister - Dana

Brother - Aaron

Daughter & Grandaughter

Sherry & Hanna

Son Morgan and Daughter-in-law

Chryston

Niece - Jessica with her sons

Devin & Luke

Oh, how we miss you.

"Lord, the times we've had together: Whether in winter or summr, spring or autumn, it's always got its fun and its excitements."

-- Ratty, The Wind in the Willows

by Kenneth Grahame

Those of you who knew and loved Sterling may want to check back now and then. I will be posting more pictures as I find them.

Geraldine

http://stanfordhospital.org/ImageGallery/photos/heartCenter/cardiomyopathy/Michael_FowlerMD.jpg

Michael B. Fowler, MD Dr. Ronald_Witteles Euan A Ashley MRCP, DPhil Randall H. Vagelos, MD

These four brilliant and compassionate men worked long and hard on Sterling’s behalf, along with a team of dedicated nurses, far to many to mention here. Our family extends our grateful and heartfelt thanks to them all and to the Stanford medical facility. Sterling’s care couldn’t have been better. Unfortunately, he did not fully participate in his own recovery.

To everyone, I cannot stress enough the importance of lifestyle to your health and wellbeing. I had a wonderful old woman friend when I was a young woman. Long before there were health food nuts, she was a health food nut. A neighbor asked her if she really thought eating the way she did was going to make her live longer. Beatrice answered;

“I don’t do it to put years in my life, but life in my years.”

I’m afraid Sterling’s final years had not been very physically comfortable for him.

For those of you who knew Sterling, I’d love hearing from you at

gduncann@yahoo.com.

If you live in the North Bay, perhaps we can arrange to get together.

Thank you,

Geraldine