Sterling Crothers

Sterling Crothers passed away peacefully on November 16 with family by his side. He was born in Jerome, Idaho, on January 16, 1930, to Delbert and Olive Crothers and was raised on a farm along with his older brother Kenneth. From a young age, he was milking cows under the light of a kerosene lantern and gathering sagebrush and willows for the stove. He drove teams of horses through fields in summer and skated on the canals in winter.

Sterling attended Jerome High School and early on he demonstrated natural athletic ability. He excelled in various sports, eventually becoming a four-year letterman in football as a star fullback.

Following graduation, Sterling went to the Southern Idaho College of Education in Albion (previously Albion State Normal School). He was active in football and traveled with a men’s quartet performing around Southern Idaho. After SICE, he would briefly attend the College of Idaho before joining the Air Force pilot training program as a cadet based in North Carolina. It was the beginning of a love for flying that he would embrace again years later as he obtained his private pilot license and joined the Jerome Flying Club.

After returning to Idaho from the pilot training program, Sterling would return to farming. It was during this time that he met Beverly Allen, the beautiful young woman with whom he would share the next 68 years.

From farming, he moved on to other occupations, eventually drawing on his farming roots in working at the Snake River Research Center near Kimberly for 25 years. During much of this time, he worked concurrently as a bean inspector, covering territory throughout the Magic Valley.

Over the years, Sterling grew to have an insatiable curiosity across a broad range of areas. Known for his keen interest in local geography and history, he often shared interesting stories about the area’s geology and its past.

In retirement, Sterling found great satisfaction in his work at Moss Greenhouse, supporting customers and hosting visits. Once again, through his curiosity he deepened his understanding of plants, flowers and greenhouse operations. Over the years, many dozens of people benefitted from Sterling’s annual gift of a Christmas amaryllis.

Though he was deeply rooted in the Magic Valley, he and Beverly did find time to travel to visit family in various parts of the US, including travel to 10 European countries, with Sterling accumulating copious amounts of travel brochures and maps. But a greater passion for him was roaming around the countryside closer to home, targeting places serving his favorite foods or for drinks with friends. There were many trips to the South Hills, either to get a load of firewood or simply to enjoy the fall colors. Later in life, as his eyesight failed him, Sterling maintained his desire to go for drives and somehow always knew where he was.

He was well known for his wit and sense of humor. He had a joke for every occasion. His sharpness and wit stayed with him to the very end.

Sterling was preceded in death by his parents, Delbert and Olive, his brother Kenneth, half-sister Thelma Mullins, half-brother Raymond, and his son-in-law, John Katseanes. He is survived by his wife, Beverly, his children Carol, Curtis, Cheryl (Charlton), Rich, and Lisa (Olmstead) as well as seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

A commemoration of Sterling’s life will be held at the Crossroads United Methodist Church in Kimberly as a part of the normal worship service at 1:00pm on Sunday, November 23, including a brief reception after the service.