John Sterling was born in Hanford, California on October 9, 1950, to Jean and John Sterling, Senior. John and his two sisters moved to the Central Coast in 1958 when his father was part of the early missile program at Vandenberg Air Force Base.

He attended Cabrillo High School where he played on the golf and basketball teams. After graduating from Homestead High School in Cupertino, he continued to De Anza College where he set several long-standing scoring records as a forward on the De Anza basketball team.

John began his law enforcement career with the Oakland Police Department in 1975 as a patrol officer. During his 12-½ years with the OPD his duties included jail supervisor, SWAT Team Leader, and head of a special narcotics unit. He left the police force in 1987 as a Lieutenant to become owner of a trucking company in Lompoc. He reentered law enforcement as an investigator at the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's office. In 1992 John was recruited as Captain for the East Palo Alto Police Department to address the city's status as the "the per capita homicide capital of the US". Governor Pete Wilson recognized his outstanding work with the joint-area task force in East Palo Alto. From there John became Police Chief in Ridgecrest in 1995 where he served for four years. For one year he also served as interim City Manager, and held both positions. In 1999 he was hired as Police Chief of Santa Maria. Under his leadership, John promoted his philosophy of community policing.

Among the many civic organizations that John was actively involved with were Santa Maria Breakfast Rotary, Boys and Girls Club of Santa Maria, Relay For Life, Alzheimer's Association, Community Action Resource Action Services (CARES), Families For The First Decade, Domestic Violence Solutions, and National Day of Prayer. John has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and a Master's Degree in Administration.

John Sterling is survived by Carol, his wife of 34 years, daughter Emily, and son John and daughter in law Dori. Both children are active duty Army. Also surviving are his mother Jean Sterling of Lompoc, his two sisters Carolyn Bottroff, and her husband Jim, of Grants Pass, Oregon and Patricia Carmichael and husband David of Loveland, Colorado. John will be missed by his eight nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father John Sterling, Sr.

A memorial tribute will be held on Monday, December 6, 2010, at Trinity Church of the Nazarene in Lompoc at 10 am. A reception will follow at 12:30 pm at the Lompoc Veteran's Memorial Building. The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations be made in memory of John to the American Cancer Society, National Alzheimer's Association, or Domestic Violence Solutions.