Arthur William Sterken, 75, passed away on Jan. 9, 2015, in Coos Bay, Ore.
He was born on April 18, 1939, to Henry and Johanna (Keyzer) Sterken. He grew up in Delavan. He attended Whitewater High School. He was in the Air Force.
He worked in California for some time in a milking parlor in the 1960s. He worked on the family farm for some years in the 1970s. He lived in Riverside, Calif., and worked in a machine shop in some of the 1980s. He moved to Coos Bay, Ore., where he bought an orchard farm in his later years.
He married Barbara Meyers in 1959 in Delavan. They were married for 47 years. He was a very hard working family man. When he wasn’t working on his farming, he was with his children or grandkids. He also would be busy working on inventing something. He had a great sense of humor.
He is survived by his children, Christine (Phil) Vincent, of Coos Bay, Ore., Corrine Sundin and Jon Peters, of Coos Bay, Ore., Cathlein (Ken) Allen, of Coos Bay, Ore., Collene Gray, of Coos Bay, Ore., Art (Christa) Sterken, of Anderson, Ind., Billy Sterken, of Sutherland Ore., Hank Sterken and Bobbie Matthews, of Coos Bay, Ore.; his siblings, Wayne (Darlene) Sterken, Lois Sterken and William McCarthy, Leon (Mary) Sterken, Lester (Helen) Sterken, Juanita (Sterken) and Rich Coleman, all of Delavan; his 10 grandsons; 8 granddaughters; 12 great-grandsons; 4 great-granddaughters; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara Sterken; in January 2006, his parents Henry and Johanna Sterken; his brother, Ronald Sterken; a great grandson, David, and his great niece, Avery.
A funeral service will be held at Coos Bay Chapel 685 Anderson Avenue, Coos Bay, Ore., 97420, at 11 a.m. Monday.
