Marguerite C. Sterling

Marguerite C. Sterling (Midge)

Marguerite (Midge) Sterling, age 58, passed away peacefully on February 26, 2011, at the Evergreen Hospice Center in Kirkland surrounded by her family.
She was born on June 29, 1952, in Omaha, NE, the daughter of Lloyd and Yvonne Mattson. Midge, her sister, Connie and brother, John were raised in Omaha.
Midge attended the University of Kansas majoring in Elementary Education and where she developed into a life-long, die-hard, Jayhawks basketball fan. Her passion for teaching led her to a career over 20 years in teaching Elementary and Gifted and Talented education. Most recently she served as a long-term substitute teacher in the Edmonds School District.
Midge met her husband, Kirk Sterling, while living in Denver, CO. They married in Denver on July 21, 1990. Their lives together took them to Portland, OR; Cincinnati, OH; Naperville, IL; and Mill Creek, WA. Midge and Kirk were blessed with a daughter, Simone (19), and a son, Clark (16).
Midge had a deep love for her children, family and friends and was always interested in others. She was very involved in her children's lives, volunteering as a "team Mom", attending concerts, and enthusiastically cheering at sporting events. Midge enjoyed hiking and camping in the mountains, family vacations to Hawaii and Florida, traveling, musicals, vintage movies, photography (film only) and sunny days.
Perhaps her legacy, besides her children, will be how Midge faced the adversities in life head-on. Over the course of 16 years she battled cancer: Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (twice, including a stem cell transplant) and breast cancer (twice). Her love of family, singular strength and her determination to live life to its fullest are an inspiration to all.
She is survived by Helen Mattson, her step-mother; one sister; one brother; husband and children.
Midge will be deeply missed by her family and friends. Midge loved the Lord and we know that she is healed, free and with her maker in heaven!
A memorial service will be held Sunday, March 13, at 2 p.m. at North Creek Presbyterian Church in Mill Creek.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be given to the University of Nebraska Foundation in her memory where they will help fund research in hematological malignancies at: University of Nebraska Foundation, 2285 South 67th Street, Suite 200, Omaha, NE, 68106 or nufoundation.org/leukemialymphomaresearch.