J. Sterling Livingston

LIVINGSTON DR. J. STERLING LIVINGSTON (Age 93) Dr. J. Sterling Livingston, 93, retired Harvard Business School Professor, entrepreneur and management consultant, died Sunday, February 14, 2010 in his residence surrounded by his loving family. He is survived by his beloved wife of 67 years, Ruth E. (Flume) Livingston; two daughters, Lucille Held and her husband Robert, with whom he lived, of Bolton, MA; Florence Odell and her husband Ronald of Woodland Hills, CA; two sons, Sterling C. Livingston and his wife Martha of Richmond, VA; Matthew S. Livingston and his wife Judith of Fairfax, VA; 11 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, many dear friends and colleagues. Sterling Livingston was born in Salt Lake City, Utah to the late Julius Edward and Fanny Lucillia (Scott) Livingston on June 7, 1916. Sterling and his four siblings grew up in and around Chino, Glendale and Pomona, California. In 1931 Sterling''s mother died and his father, who had abandoned the family, told the oldest daughter, Peg, to put her brothers in an orphanage. Refusing that advice, 18-year old Peg and her four brothers (Sterling was 14) stayed together and "brought themselves up" during the Great Depression. Following graduation from Hoover High School, Sterling got a job as wiper on a freighter bound for Shanghai. He did not intend to go to college but his high school debate coach encouraged Sterling to pursue his formal education. Sterling followed that advice and became a debate champion at both Glendale Junior College and later at the University of Southern California where he was the Captain of the 1938 Debate Team. He was accepted at the Harvard Business School where he graduated in 1940 with High Distinction at the top of his MBA class. Sterling taught the Navy Supply Corps during WWII. He was in charge of writing the Manual of Naval Procurement and became the Navy''s youngest Commander. Following the war, Sterling earned his PhD in Business Administration at Harvard (DCS). Sterling was very proud that he and two of his brothers earned their doctorates: his twin brother, Steele, received his in Veterinary Medicine (DVM) and older brother Clifton in Mining Engineering. Sterling then became a professor at the Harvard Business School where he taught for 25 years. As a professor at the Business School, he taught a multitude of subjects and taught them all well. He was truly a great, great educator. Year after year, he was rated as the best professor by the student body (of all his honors, we think he was most proud of this). Two of his articles, "The Myth of the Well Educated Manager" and "Pygmalion in Management", were published by the Harvard Business Review and remain amongst their best sellers. Despite his many honors and achievements, Sterling didn''t much care for accolades or resting on his laurels. He was an entrepreneur, through and through, always interested in the new, new thing. He was at the forefront in everything he pursued. He founded or jointly founded a series of consulting companies, including Harbridge House, Management Systems Corporation, Logistics Management Institute, and Sterling Institute which continues his legacy of developing managers and leaders in both the public and private sectors to this day. Sterling will be buried next to the grave of his brother, Jack, at the Columbia Gardens Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. A public graveside service will be held on Saturday, April 3, 2010 at 11 a.m. with memorial services to follow. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Philbin-Comeau Funeral Home, Clinton, MA. Online condolences may be placed at www.philbincomeaufh.com Memorial contributions may be made in memory of Dr. J. Sterling Livingston to: The University of Southern California Trojan Debate Squad, 3502 Watt Way, Suite G-21, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0281. Sterling will be buried next to the grave of his brother, Jack, at the Columbia Gardens Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. A public graveside service will be held on Saturday, April 3, 2010 at 11 a.m. with memorial services to follow. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Philbin-Comeau Funeral Home, Clinton, MA. Online condolences may be placed at www.philbincomeaufh.com Memorial contributions may be made in memory of Dr. J. Sterling Livingston to: The University of Southern California Trojan Debate Squad, 3502 Watt Way, Suite G-21, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0281.