Richard "Dick" Allen Sternberg

Richard (“Dick”) Allen Sternberg, redeemed child of God through the life, death, and resurrection of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and devoted husband, father, and friend, received the crown of life from his Savior on Friday, December 31, 2021, at the age of 78 in Wauwatosa, WI.

Dick was born on November 29, 1943, in Wausau, WI. He was baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit on December 11, 1943, also in Wausau, and was raised by his late mother Valeria (Muenchow) Sternberg and his late father Bernard Sternberg, Jr. After graduating from Wausau High School in 1962 and from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point in 1968, Dick served as a corporate systems analyst in the IT department of Employers Mutual of Wausau / Wausau Insurance for over 30 years and then as a city bus driver for the Wausau Area Transit System (WATS) for over 12 years. Yet the role he cherished most was Christian husband and father.

Dick married his loving wife of 50 years, Jane Marie (Kellogg) Sternberg, on October 4, 1969, and welcomed identical twin sons, Jonathan David and Timothy Michael, on October 24, 1975.

Dick loved his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ with all his heart and trusted in Jesus’ redemptive work for his eternal salvation. His family was the love of his life, second only to his Savior. As a passionate volunteer at his church, he held various lay leadership positions at St. Peter Ev. Lutheran Church and at Northland Lutheran High School, helping oversee the work of those ministries, and contributed his musical talents during worship services through choir, handbells, and percussion, beautifying his Lord’s house for the edification of his fellow Christians. God blessed him with profound gifts of faith, joy, encouragement, supportiveness, self-sacrifice, humor, and fearlessness, which spilled over in abundance to those whom God in turn blessed with his presence. During the last months of his life, he used those gifts to endure multiple health issues while professing his love for Jesus to those around him.

Dick especially enjoyed trips to the Holy Land and England with his family and attending his children’s activities throughout elementary school, high school, and college. As a “groupie” of the Wisconsin Lutheran College choir, he particularly enjoyed the opportunity to chaperone the choir with Jane during the choir's 1998 tour. Dick himself played all-state football in high school and loved motorcycles. As a talented drummer, he led his high school stage band, the Tophatters, in his senior year and later delighted fans as part of sought-after 1950s and 1960s cover bands in the Wausau area. His signature dessert, Baked Alaska, was a special treat for his family.

Dick was preceded in death by the other Saints Triumphant, including his beloved wife, Jane; his mother, Valeria; his father, Bernard; and his sister Laura (Don) Freitag. He is survived by the Saints Militant, including his sons, Jonathan and Timothy; his sister Sally (Doug) Scheel; and several in-laws, cousins, nieces, and nephews.

A service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, January 14, 2022, at St. Peter Ev. Lutheran Church, 1351 Grand Ave., Schofield, WI 54476. Rev. Jeffrey Mahnke will officiate. Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the service at the church. A reception will follow the service. Interment will be at Pine Grove Cemetery, Wausau, WI.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Dick’s name may be directed to St. Peter Ev. Lutheran Church, 1351 Grand Ave., Schofield, WI 54476.