Sterling Loftin Dorman

In 2016, Sterling Dorman planned and celebrated her 90th birthday in San Diego with more than 100 guests in attendance. On February 26, 2019, almost three years later, Sterling passed away in her apartment at Mary's Woods in Lake Oswego, Oregon. The family honors and celebrates the life of this wonderful woman.

Sterling was born April 4, 1926 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti to Sam and Inez Loftin. Her father was in the Navy and her mother had been a teacher before they married. Sterling had one younger sister Sammie. The family settled in San Diego and Sam later retired as a Chief Aviation Pilot and went into the insurance business.

Music, dance, school, and friends were major interests for Sterling during her younger years in San Diego and she maintained those interests throughout her life. At Mills College, she was a student leader who became an active alumna. Following Sterling's graduation and Chet Dorman's return from the Navy, they married in 1947 and spent 61 wonderful years together until he passed in 2008.

The Dorman family grew rapidly in the 1950's, with four children born in five years, David, John, Anne, and Mary. Life was busy with the growing family business (Dorman's Tires) and active children, but Sterling and Chet remained committed to the San Diego community and to the many friends with whom they shared camping trips and life at the beach.

At the age of 50 and with an empty nest, Sterling and Chet sold the family tire business and began a new phase of life on a beautiful 200-acre property near Valley Center, California, where they enjoyed more than 20 years of active country life and community engagement, including Sterling's service and leadership on the School and Library Boards. During this period, six grandchildren were born, Sterling, Brooke, Mike, Katrina, Angela and Elizabeth, and they all loved spending time with Grandma and Poppi at Lucky Sterling Ranch. Sterling also planned special week long family vacations – including ski trips to Lake Tahoe, visits to dude ranches, beach vacations and a spectacular two-week safari to Tanzania in 2010. Last Christmas, Sterling took her entire family (20 adults and 3 great-grandchildren) to Kona, Hawaii.

Sterling and Chet moved to Oregon in 2003 and, yet again, built new friendships and became actively involved in the community. They grew to love Oregon and their proximity to more family.

Sterling has left a wonderful legacy in her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was a bright, curious, compassionate woman dedicated to giving back and doing her part to make the world a better place. We will all miss her.

The family is holding a service at 2 p.m., Friday, March 22, 2019, at the Mary's Woods Chapel in Lake Oswego, followed by a reception in the auditorium.

In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to Maybelle Center for Community in Portland, Oregon, or Adelante Mujeres in Forest Grove, Oregon.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Sterling Loftin Dorman, please visit our floral store.