PENDLETON - Thomas J. "Doc" Sternburgh, 96, of Pendleton died Sunday, March 21, 2010, at Juniper House in Pendleton.
Mr. Sternburgh was born Oct. 4, 1913, in Chicago, Ill., to Jesse and Alta (Hogan) Sternburgh.
Growing up he worked various jobs with his father repairing windmills and selling newspapers. Self taught to play the accordion; he won numerous awards at talent shows. He joined a carnival and played for a ballet. He was also a roughneck for the same carnival which involved him with the teardown and setup of equipment.
In 1932 he joined the Texas National Guard, 124th Cavalry, Machine Gun Troop and substituted as a janitor and night watchmen at the National Guard Armory in San Antonio, Texas.
Between the years of 1932 and 1935 he joined the regular Army in the medical department and was attached as a student in the 8th Corps Laboratory Training School, to later become a Medical Laboratory Technician.
In 1934 he met his wife-to-be, Sarah, on a blind date. He was in Lab School in San Antonio studying bacteriology and she was a nurse in training at the Santa Rosa Hospital in San Antonio.
He needed a degree to work in the hospital, so he challenged the National Board and got his M.T (ASCP) certificate.
Tom and Sarah married on July 9th 1937 and moved to Jackson, Michigan where he worked for W.A. Foot Memorial hospital, teaching microbiology.
In early 1939 he accepted a job in East Lansing, MI at the US Regional Research Center as Senior Medical Technician.
In 1940 the War Manpower Commission transferred him to the Army Biological Products Laboratory, located at Michigan State Health Laboratory. In March of 1943 he was inducted to the Army and after boot camp was sent to England near Wales, thus beginning the years that he saw action in the European Theater of Operations: including; England, Austria, Germany and France. He served 29 years active and inactive service with distinction, including Army and Naval Reserve.
Tom served as an Army Warrant Officer in the 38th Infantry Division from 1946 to 1952. He later joined the Naval Reserve in 1959. In 1968 he went to Submarine School and qualified in submarines June 11, 1970. He served aboard the USS Volador (SS 490) and also as Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman on both the USS Spinax (SSR 489) and USS Volador (SS 490) from 1968 to 1973, thus getting his nickname of "Doc". He retired on October 4, 1973.
Among other areas of his quite busy life, he was an instructor for OTI (OIT) in Klamath Falls, OR from 1953 to 1958. In 2006 he received a distinction award of Professor Emeritus. He worked for the State Board of Health of Oregon, Umatilla County, in emergency management and for Coffey Lab. He received a Bachelor's Degree from the University of New York and managed the Medical Center Lab in Pendleton, OR in the 60's.
His special interests were flying, crossword puzzles, fishing and playing his accordion.
Doc was a founder of the Inland Empire Base of the United States Submarine Veterans and will be sorely missed.
Tom is survived by his four daughters; Sally D. Ross "Nipper", Janice M. Voigt "Niblets", Margaret E. Hatley "Mugsy" and Jessica L. Amos "Chickie"; Sons in Law David Voigt, Jerry Hatley, and Robert Amos,; ten grand children, Bev Debord, Becky Lawson, Paul Ross, Traci Carlson, Tom Carlson and in memory of Lori Carlson, Robert Bynum, Sheryn Smith, Sara Kort and Heather Cooper; 11 great grandchildren and 1 great, great grandson.
He is also survived by his special friend Virginia Sweet of Pilot Rock, OR. and not to be forgotten is his very special little buddy "Moose".