Sterling Andrew Saxe

Farm boy, high school football player, Navy veteran of WWII, member of the management team who was respected by union workers, political junkie, founding member of the United Methodist Church in Stow, garden club member, amateur darkroom photographer, stained glass artisan, avid birder who chased birds to the Dry Tortugas and beyond, climber of Mt. Washington and the Grand Canyon at the age of 70 and ice skater on a frozen lake at 80. He was a family man who was always ready for a celebration, especially if it included an opportunity to hand-tie a bow tie and dance with his wife. Sterling Andrew Saxe passed away on October 7, 2023, from complications resulting from a fall. He was 96 and still ready for more adventure.

He enjoyed joking and telling stories about life on his grandfather’s farm (some not so savory!) and delighted in relating all the details of making sausage and sauerkraut. He loved animals, doted on babies and children, and had a passionate regard for the wilderness, woods, lakes and streams.  A history buff and avid reader, he read voraciously about this country’s conflicts, the Revolutionary War, Civil War, and all the 20th Century Wars. When his eyesight failed, he turned to listening to PBS Specials, books-on-tape, and Ken Burns documentaries, most recently finishing and thoroughly enjoying the series “Jazz”.

He was an enthusiastic golfer - at one time golfing in three leagues, hiker- having accumulated multiple shields on his Metro Parks hiking staff, and an Ohio State and Cleveland Browns football fan. He was an active member of the Kent State Exercise Program for 15 years, a long-time blood donor, and a volunteer at Open M Food Pantry. At his church, he cared for the flower beds, regularly served as an usher, and was a weekly attendee at Bible Study. As a Red Cross volunteer, he drove patients to doctor’s appointments until he lost his sight to macular degeneration.

Sterling was preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Ellen Saxe, and his older brother, Edward Saxe Jr. He will be celebrated and sorely missed by his high school sweetheart, the love of his life and wife of 75 years, Marian (Ribelin) and their five children, Shirley Ende-Saxe (Karen), Suzanne Silvey (Larry), Andy (Vivian), Steven (Janet) and Joan Jacob (Ivan), nine grandchildren, and twelve great grandchildren. He also leaves behind his sister Elaine, and many nieces and nephews. He left a legacy of curiosity, volunteering, and a wide-range of interests that continue to inspire his entire family.

In lieu of flowers, visit a local craft brewery and raise a glass to Sterling Saxe to celebrate a life well-lived.

A Memorial Service will take place on Saturday, November 25, 2023, at 11:00 am, at the Stow United Methodist Church.

Services in the care of Bissler and Sons Funeral Home and Crematory, 628 W. Main St. Kent, OH 44240.