Dick E. Stearns Jr
Dick E. Stearns Jr.
On the morning of September 16, 2015, he suffered a sudden heart attack at his Cape Coral residence and went to be with the Lord that afternoon at Gulf Coast Medical Center while being attended by family and friends. He was 83 years old.
He was born in the city of Lake Charles, Louisiana, on April 16, 1932, and was the first child of the late Dick Elza and Ellen Mary Stearns. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 60 years Dorothy Mae Stearns, who went to be with the Lord on February 29, 2012, at the age of 80.
He is survived by his beloved sister Martha DeLeon, sister Mary Dietz and husband Dennis, daughter Lisa Morelli and husband Fred, daughter Suzanne Stearns, son Dick E. Stearns III and wife Carol, grandchildren Amanda Maloney and husband Matthew, Nathan Payne, Brian Payne, Christopher Payne, Andrew Payne, James Stearns, Melanie Morelli, Bryce Morelli, great granddaughter Maddison Payne, dear and close companion Annmarie May, and other loving family and friends.
In his teen years he attended Kemper Military School, Booneville, Missouri, and graduated from C. E. Byrd High School, Shreveport, Louisiana. He served his country in the United States Navy in the early 1950’s as an Electronics Technician, and then graduated from Southern Methodist University with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering in 1961. He had a rewarding career as an electrical engineer for over 25 years while residing in Santa Barbara, California, as well as in southwest Florida after moving to Cape Coral in 1988. He earned a Professional Engineer license from the state of Florida in 1996 and continued to work until his passing.
His hobbies and favorite pastimes included scuba diving (certified diver), flying (licensed private pilot), fishing, photography, camping, bowling, water skiing, CAD/CAM, investing, traveling, bluegrass music, and foreign films.
Funeral services will be held eleven o’clock Nov 7, 2015, at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 7771 Stringfellow Road, St. James City (Pine Island), Florida, 33956, by Vicar Rev. Ryan Wright. In lieu of flowers please consider a charitable donation in memory of Dick E. Stearns Jr. to either St. John’s Episcopal Church at above address or Hope Hospice at Development Office, Hope Hospice, 9470 HealthPark Circle, Fort Myers, Florida, 33904, or donations by website donate.hopehcs.org/.