Every town or village needs a devoted public servant like Carl Sterling.
For over 30 years he was the tireless, hard-working mayor, treasurer and clerk of East Syracuse. And he also fought fires.
Just how dedicated was he?
A 1987 story in The Post-Standard had this quote from Arlene Domres, a secretary then in the village office.
“I can’t say anything bad about Carl; except he should take a vacation sometime. I quit keeping a personnel record on him because he never takes any time off. The last time he was out was when he had a back operation and then he worked from home.”
Domres counted off the vacation time he used: four days off in June 1975, five days in July 1976, one in August 1976, and one sick day in 1978.
Sterling did occasionally bolt from the office without any advance notice. But that was just another way in which he served his village.
The firefighter always had a police scanner broadcasting in the village office.
His wife, June, accepted his dedication to his community but hoped that “one of these years” she would get a chance to spend more than one or two days in a row with her husband.
“He’s dedicated and very conscientious,” she once said. “He really cares about the village.”
“You can’t find one better,” former village trustee Ronald Russell Jr. said in 1987. “He’s the backbone of the village. He’s going to be tough to replace.”
It was no wonder that former mayor Peter Higgins once dubbed Sterling, “The Father of East Syracuse.”
Carl H. Sterling, of East Syracuse, passed away on Monday, November 10, at the age of 102.
His obituary said he was a life resident of the village, born on Oct. 21, 1923, to Oscar F. and Marion Ruth (Hoke) Sterling.
He was the valedictorian of his graduating class at East Syracuse High School in 1941.
According to an article in the Herald-Journal, Sterling sang in the glee club for four years, played in the orchestra, was a secretary, president of the Science Club, a member of the board of the Service Club and Dramatic Club, was on the varsity track team, and was on the staff of the school newspaper.
He later graduated from the Central City Business Institute and served in the Navy during World War II in the Pacific Theater.
Sterling married June L. Dixon on July 19, 1947. They met while attending high school together.
He was employed by the Semet Solvay Division of Allied Chemical until it closed in 1970.
Sterling was offered a position with the company but had to work in New York City or New Jersey.
“It only took us about 10 minutes to decide we didn’t want to go,” June Sterling told a reporter in 1987.
Sterling was an East Syracuse firefighter which was what brought him into politics in 1964.
“At that time, I was an ardent fireman,” he explained. “The village board had decided to eliminate the fire council made up of department members and appoint a fire commissioner to oversee the fire department. In order to maintain some control over their department, firefighters decided to nominate some of their own members to the village board.”
He joined the People’s Party and won a surprising upset victory on March 17, 1964, to a trustee position.
A year later he was elected mayor of the village, winning reelection in 1967 and 1969.
He was on the committee responsible for the founding of EAVES Ambulance.
Sterling resigned in 1970 and was immediately appointed to the position of Clerk/Treasurer of the village. He remained in the job until his retirement in 1995.
He preferred this job better to being mayor. It was behind the scenes and had no politics associated with it.
“When you’re a clerk ... you can always turn over the more difficult problems to the mayor,” Sterling joked in 1995. “As mayor, you have no one to turn it over to.”
He once told a reporter that his philosophy was always to “serve the village, not really either political party.”
Sterling is survived by his daughter, Gail L. Sterling of East Syracuse, son, Scott E. Sterling (Danielle) of Virginia Beach, VA, nephew, Douglas H. Dixon (Caroline), niece, Amy L. Comfort, great nephews Lore Dixon (Bella), and Logan Comfort and great nieces Micaela Dixon, Aubree Dixon (Ruben Rosado) and Rachel Comfort.
He was predeceased by his wife, June, who passed away in 2004.
Per Sterling’s wishes there will be no calling hours.
A funeral service will be held Friday, Nov. 14, at 11 a.m., at the First United Church of East Syracuse. Burial will be at White Chapel Memory Gardens.
Contributions may be made in his name to EAVES Ambulance, 6232 Fly Road, East Syracuse, NY 13057.
Condolences may be made at mathewsonforani.com
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