William John Sterling SUNLEY

10/09/1962 - 05/11/2024

SUNLEY, William John Sterling

October 9, 1962 - May 11, 2024

It is with profound sorrow that Sheila Sunley and Jodie Gray Sunley announce the tragic and untimely death of their son and husband, William John Sterling Sunley, on May 11, 2024 at his home in British Columbia. The memory of his intelligence, culture and love for his boys, Euan and Austen, will be cherished by his extended family, many friends and all who knew him. The world will be a poorer place without his knowledge, humour and passion for spirited conversation.

Born in Lamont, Alberta to Dr. John and Mrs. Sheila Sunley, Sterling enjoyed growing up in that small, farming community. He spent his teen summers working at nearby Elk Island National Park. After graduating from Lamont High School, he attended the University of Alberta where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics.

Active throughout university in Liberal party politics (difficult to believe for those who knew him as a staunch conservative), after graduation Sterling went to work on Parliament Hill as a special assistant to Senator H. A. "Bud" Olson, who at the time was Leader of the Government in the Senate and Minister of State for Economic Development.

Following his experience with the federal cabinet, Sterling embarked on a career in financial planning and investment management in Edmonton, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg beginning with MD Management and finishing with IQON Financial Inc.

From 2003 through 2013, Sterling served as President and Co-Founder of Camnex Marketing Inc., a major importer of electronics for such retailers as WalMart.

Appointed in 2013 by the governor-in-council to the Immigration and Refugee Board (Appeals Division), he served there for four years writing more than 500 decisions. In 2017, he moved to Refugee Protection Division.

After leaving the IRB in 2022, Sterling headed his own immigration consultancy, Chartwell Immigration.

Sterling was a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002 and the Alberta Centennial Medal in 2005. He proudly served as president of the Rt. Hon. Winston Spencer Churchill Societies of both Edmonton and British Columbia. He was a member of the University of Alberta Senate and a director of the Alberta Motor Association and of its subsidiaries AMA Travel and AMA Insurance. He also was chair of the Children's Hearing and Speech Centre of British Columbia. He even wrote speeches for King Charles III when the monarch was Prince of Wales and made frequent trips to Canada.

As impressive as this list is, however, it does not capture all of whom Sterling was. A proud and devoted son, husband and father, Sterling was also a true friend to many throughout his life. First, there is no appreciating who Sterling was without understanding just how much he loved his wife, Jodie, who he truly saw as the person who had made him complete and genuinely happy.

He was happiest when standing on the sidelines of a soccer pitch with her watching their sons Euan and Austen, or planning travel and entertainment with her, bringing the boys to visit his mother and father or joining her family for summer fun at Oak Lake, Manitoba.

A voracious reader of fine literature, Sterling could offer informed criticism of novels, poetry, essays, speeches and the Nobel committee's annual choice of its laureate writer. (He found most of the modern winners unworthy.)

He loved serious music - classical and jazz - single-malt scotch, and books. Lots of books. His private library is the culmination of a lifelong love.

And he relished a good debate on history, the politics of the day, culture, morality and God (or the lack of one).

There will always be an empty place in the hearts of many with Sterling's passing.

The family will be holding a private memorial.

In lieu of flowers, an educational trust has been set up for Euan and Austen. Cheques or bank drafts can be made out to the Euan and Austen Sunley Education Trust, c/o 132 Quesnell Cres NW, Edmonton AB, T5R 5P2.