James Boogie Sterling

James Clifford “ Boogie” Sterling, 81, of Boling, passed away on Tuesday, February 25, 2014, at Methodist Hospital in Sugar Land following a brief illness. He was born on September 28, 1932, in Boling, the sixth child of the late Edmund Alfred Sterling and Marie Elda Etie Sterling. Boogie was a prominent, successful businessman both in Boling and throughout Wharton County. His businesses included Sterling Vacuum Service, Boling Production Company, Inc., NewGulf Petroleum LLC, Boling-Iago Group LLC, and S&D Services. All of these businesses support numerous oilfield endeavors. Boogie Sterling lived to serve his fellow man. He was exceedingly generous with his time, his expertise, and his monetary donations to every worthwhile cause. His community activities included board positions for the Boling Water District, the Boling Independent School District, the Wharton County Fair, and the Boling Community Center. He had an extraordinary ability to recognize people’s individual talents and to bring those talents together in such a way that all reached consensus and worked together to achieve the vision of a new and better organization. In his spare time, Boogie loved to go to his Hill Country get-away to feed the animals and swim in the river. He also loved going to L’auberge casino in Louisiana to play the slot machines. As per his wishes, Boogie was cremated, and his memorial service was at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, March 3, 2014, at Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery in Wharton. The eulogy was delivered by his good friend Pete Kucera. Boogie was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings, Dewey Paul Sterling, Edmund Alfred Sterling, Jr., Edward Charles Sterling, and Rose Marie Sterling Davis. Boogie is survived by his son, Dr. James Carl Sterling of Dallas, his ex-wife and former business partner Frances Sterling of Boling, his brother Ross Sterling of Boling, his special friend, companion, and Secretary Betty Legler of Wharton, and his “adopted” family Roger and Denise Pahmiyer and their children Aaron and Stephanie of Boling. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews and their children. Honorary pallbearers are James Andersen, Leonard Wittig, Ron Reel, Raymond “Doe-Doe” Jackson, Alfred Davis, Dr. Peter Erickson, Elmer Zimmerman, Jesus Rubio, Mark Gainey, Doc Hardin, C. Dell Cantrell, and M.G. Winkenwerder. Boogie was the godfather of Boling, and he will be sorely missed by all of the people that he touched. In accordance with his wishes, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Boling District Improvement Association, P.O. Box 95, Boling, TX 77420.