Timothy J. Sturm

Timothy J. Sturm, 83, of Southside Village in Sarasota, passed away on April 10, 2023, in hospice care, peacefully with family present. Tim was born in Bradford, Pa., to Frances and Raymond Sturm on January 5, 1940. Tim loved Bradford, he loved the hills and the change of seasons, and he loved the smell of crude oil. Tim was raised on Bushnell Street where everyone had a front porch where they gathered to chat and gossip with one another. A self-proclaimed “street rat”, he knew all the neighborhoods in town. His first job was as a paperboy for The Bradford Era and High Street was his neighborhood. He had a good eye; he could reach the high porches with one toss and the low porches with another. He also loved the history of Bradford, remembering the taxis and limos lined up in front of the Emery Hotel, to take their fares wherever. When he graduated from Bradford Area High School in 1959, Tim’s Irish mother, Frances (Frankie) Kathleen O’Haire, from whom he got his dry sense of humor, said, “You are going to college!” So, he found himself at Marietta College where he would graduate with a degree in English Literature. After graduation, he and his lifelong friend, Frank, hitchhiked to Seattle to see the World’s Fair and the Space Needle. Boeing was hiring and they both wore the same suit for job interviews, just days apart! They were both hired and worked on the Minuteman Missile Project. While in Seattle, Tim met his future wife, Kathy, who was in the steno pool at Boeing. When Tim was transferred to Sedalia, Missouri, Kathy followed, and shortly after, when Kathy moved to Hawaii, Tim followed! It was there at the University of Hawaii where he got his master’s degree. Then, just days after graduating, Tim was interviewed by Dr. Robert King Hall to go to the College of Petroleum and Minerals in Dharan, Saudi Arabia and was offered the TEFL position. Tim and Kathy were quickly married on January 31, 1965, and accepted the position in the blink of an eye. They were to begin a journey halfway around the world and back. Despite traveling far and wide, Tim’s heart was firmly rooted in Bradford. In 1976, after being gone for over 15 years, his father’s insurance agency came up for sale and he decided to purchase it. No longer a “street rat”, Tim inherited his work ethic from his father Ray and became a successful businessman. He bought a house on Clarence Street in a neighborhood full of kids who spent hours sled riding and playing in the gulley. His two sons, Fletcher, and Eric were delighted to be in a small town where they could walk (run) to school. They couldn’t have been happier! In addition to his professional pursuits, Tim joined the Bradford Club and the Pennhills and, like his father before him, was regarded as the number one pool player in town for many years. Tim retired at the age of 58, only to take on another adventure; he and Kathy bought 460 acres out in the country (Tim didn’t know where the country was!). He did not hunt or fish, but admired those that had the tenacity to do both (Anthony). Tim soon found out being in the country meant a pickup and a plow, a tractor and a lawnmower. He and Kathy spent 20 years on a promontory on Chestnut Hill until health issues forced them to leave and sell the property to someone who loved it almost as much (Sergei and Maria). They relocated to Sarasota, Florida, and enjoyed taking their dogs Nate and Murray for walks on the beach, in the parks, and in Southside Village, making lots of special friends along the way (Margaret, Robert). To honor his wishes, the family will celebrate and remember Tim’s life at his favorite place on earth- Chestnut Hill, where he will be home once again in the hills of Pennsylvania.

Tributes

Timothy J. Sturm

January 5, 1940 - April 10, 2023