STERLING DON COLTON

Sterling Don Colton, age 90, a longtime resident of Bethesda, Maryland, passed away on October 8, 2019, due to causes related to Parkinson's Disease and age. His thoughtful and wise counsel was appreciated by all he met. His individual ministering was where he found his greatest joy, where his impact was at its best, and where his example and love will influence generations to come.

Sterling was born April 28, 1929 in Vernal, Utah to Hugh Wilkins and Marguerite Maughan Colton. Sterling was named after his grandfather, Sterling Driggs Colton, and after his uncle Don Byron Colton who served 14 years in the U.S. Congress.

Sterling received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Utah in 1950. He served as junior class president and was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. He later was on the University's National Board of Visitors for many years, serving two years as Chairman, and taught business law in the business school.

Sterling graduated from Stanford Law School in 1953 receiving a juris doctor degree. He was on the Stanford Law Review along with William Rehnquist and Sandra Day O'Connor.

Upon graduation from law school he received an ROTC commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in field artillery and served two and a half years on active duty in Fort Sill, Oklahoma and in the JAG section of the Seventh Army, in Stuttgart, Germany. He later retired as a major in the Army Reserve.

The greatest decision of his life was to marry Eleanor Ricks on August 6, 1954. They shared a deep and loving relationship, raised four children, served side by side in many Church assignments, supported each other in a wide range of individual and shared responsibilities and loved their global adventures together. He lived his philosophy as stated in a letter to his grandchildren: "After having the good fortune to share so many years together, love is a matter of anxious concern for the wellbeing of one's companion."

In 1957 he joined the law firm of VanCott, Bagley, Cornwall & McCarthy in Salt Lake City, Utah. He moved to Maryland in 1966 to work with Marriott Corporation. During his tenure as General Counsel, he played a pivotal role in a period of rapid growth for Marriott International. After 30 years of service, he retired as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Marriott International. He served as founder and President of the
Washington Metropolitan Area Counsel Association; Chairman of the Litigation Section of the American Chamber of Commerce; Director of the Polynesian Cultural Center; on the board of trustees of Southern Virginia University; the Board of Visitors of the J. Reuben Clark Law School; and on boards of directors of Dyn Corp. and Dynelectric Corporation.

He was active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served in many capacities including Bishop in the Potomac South and Washington D.C. Singles Wards; President of the Canada Vancouver Mission and the Washington D.C. Temple, and Patriarch of the Washington D.C. Stake.

While his health declined as a result of Parkinson's disease, he remained a great example of strength and service. The family would like to thank the caregivers who lovingly took care of him during the past three years and Montgomery Hospice who assisted with their father this past year as well the many friends and family who showed their care and love to him.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Eleanor Ricks Colton; their daughter Carolyn of Bethesda Maryland; his three sons and their wives, Sterling David and Julie Haycock Colton of Mesa, Arizona; Bradley Hugh and Melanie Farrell Colton of Bethesda, Maryland; and Steven Ricks and Jeri Cash Colton of Johns Creek, Georgia; his sister-in-law Colleen Colton of Bountiful, Utah; his brother-in-law Robert Bradley Sr. of Uzes, France; and his brother and sister-in-law John Phillip and Barbara Snyder Colton of Sandy, Utah. They have 17 grandchildren and 42 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews whom he loved. He was pre-deceased by his sister Nancy Bradley and brother Hugh Maughan.

A visitation will be held on Friday, October 25, 2019, at the Walker Sanderson Mortuary, 85 East 300 South, Orem, Utah from 6 to 9 p.m. Interment on Saturday, October 26, 2019, in the Maeser Fairview Cemetery in Vernal, Utah. A memorial service will be held on November 16, 2019, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 11 a.m., at 10000 Stoneybrook Dr. Kensington, Maryland.

In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to the Sterling and Eleanor Colton Chair of Law and Religion at the Brigham Young Law School (https://www.iclrs.org/make-a-conttribution/).

Sterling believed that religious liberty for everyone, everywhere was a key for peaceful societies and true democracy.