John Sten

John Howard Sten was born in South Amboy, NJ on April 29, 1938. He was a graduate of H. G. Hoffman High School, class of 1955. He later graduated from Rutgers University, class of 1959, with a degree in Business Administration. He received an Honorable Discharge after serving in the N.J. National Guard and the U .S. Army Reserve. His corporate career was primarily in sales and marketing, and culminated in 1981 as National Sales Manager of Celanese Plastics Company in Greer, SC when he decided to form a new company.

John saw a wonderful opportunity and formed lnterfilm, Inc. to convert and sell polyester film and other high performance substrates for numerous industrial applications. This highly specialized company with headquarters in Piedmont, SC grew rapidly and became a true leader in its field. Sixteen years later he sold lnterfilm to a venture capital group from Little Rock, AR and went into complete retirement at age 57.

John and his loving wife Polly moved to Colleton River Plantation in the Hilton Head Island area of SC and built a second home in Big Sky, MT. Since his youth, he was consumed with the outdoors and hunted and fished all of his life. His true passion became fly fishing, both salt and fresh water, which took him throughout the United States and Canada as well as far off places such as New Zealand, Costa Rica, and the Bahamas. Summers were spent in the mountains of Montana and North Carolina with fly rod in hand.

Born and baptized a Baptist in South Amboy, NJ, he remained a devout Christian all of his life. He became an Episcopalian after meeting Polly in 1982. Both were very active in the Church. John was a member of the vestry at St. Peters Episcopal Church in Greenville, SC and finished his term being elected Senior Warden.

During that period the Church went through a major expansion and renovation with John providing much of the leadership. He also provided similar leadership at All Saints Episcopal Church on Hilton Head Island, SC.

John was predeceased by his parents, Oscar and Elizabeth Sten, and his two brothers, Martin and Bruce. He is survived by his loving wife Polly, a son Jon, a daughter Jill, and six grandchildren.

"God grant that I may fish until my dying day, and when it comes to my last cast, I then most humbly pray, when in the Lord's safe landing net I'm peacefully asleep, that in his mercy I be judged as good enough to keep."

A Memorial Service will be held at All Saints Episcopal Church, Hilton Head Island, SC. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to All Saints Episcopal Church or Palmetto Animal League.