Obituary of James Wheelen Sterling

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James Wheelen Sterling of Reston, VA, beloved husband of Margo Sterling, died on September 6, 2023, at his new residence in Herndon’s BrightView Senior Living. He was born on August 22, 1927, in Chicago, IL, the son of Joseph and Nellie Sterling, and brother of the late Mary Louise Bussabarger, Robert Sterling, and Walter Sterling. Along with his loving wife of 62 years, Jim is survived by his daughters Anastasia Trenholm (husband Chris) of Princeton, NJ, and Pamela Carroll of Lynchburg, VA. He is also survived by his five adoring grandchildren Sophia, Isabel, Nick, Emalia, and Tyler.

Jim graduated from Senn High School in Chicago, Illinois. He immediately joined the US Navy and served for three years during the World War II era. He attended Michigan State University where he earned a BA degree and was on the school’s gymnastics team. He then worked in personnel for a number of years before attaining a Masters in Counseling at Northwestern University. While at Northwestern, Jim joined the Chicago Police Department and served for over a decade before retiring as a lieutenant. He was recruited to the Washington DC area to work at the International Association of Chiefs of Police. After twenty five years, Jim spent his early retirement consulting and conducting historical research focusing on the history of body armor which began with Casimir Zeglen in 1893. 

Jim and Margo enjoyed traveling in the US and abroad. He was an enthusiastic collector of both railroad and police memorabilia. He enjoyed running and playing tennis and racquetball. He also loved a good game of Scrabble with his family and looked forward to his daily reading of The Washington Post and listening to NPR. Jim spent time exploring the natural wooded areas in Reston near his home of 55 years. Although he never learned to cook beyond the surprisingly delicious hot dogs and scrambled eggs, he was always so appreciative of his wife’s Greek cooking. He took great delight in watching his five grandchildren grow into young adults, and was an avid storyteller and writer of thoughtful letters to family and friends.

The family would like to extend their deepest appreciation for the beautiful expressions of love, concern, and support. A special thank you to Vitas Hospice and the aides and staff at BrightView for their guidance and gentle care.

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