Dates

• Existence: 1914 - 2004

Biographical History

J. Sterling Astin (1914-2004) was a business executive and administrator in Utah.

James Sterling Astin was born on September 15, 1914 in Hoytsville, Utah to James Nephi Astin and Lois Hobson. He was raised as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and was baptised into the faith in 1922. He attended East High School in Salt Lake City, and then studied mining and engineering at the University of Utah. In 1934 he left to serve as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Great Britain, returning in 1936.

In 1937 he married Inez Brewster in Salt Lake City, Utah, and they had six children. After Inez's death, Astin remarried in 1969 to Doris Owens Kennedy.

Astin began his career at the Westinghouse Electrc Corporation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During World War II, he worked in the Radiation Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley. At the war's conclusion he served in a number of executive positions for American corporations.

In 1969 Astin moved to Provo, Utah to join Brigham Young University. During his time at the university he developed an Information Retrieval System, served as director of Educational Media Services, and eventually became the director of budget and fiscal operations in the Harold B. Lee Library.

He left the university in 1980 to serve a Church mission with his wife, Doris, in London. They later served another seven missions together during his retirement.

J. Sterling Astin passed away on August 24, 2004 in Provo, Utah.

Citation:

Division of Learning Resources records, 1965-1976 (J. Sterling Astin)

Daily herald, Aug. 29, 2004 (James Sterling Astin; b. Sept. 15, 1914 in Hoytsville, Utah; parents: James Nephi Astin and Lois Hobson; attended East High School; graduated from the University of Utah in mining and engineering; served as missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the British Mission; m. 1937 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Inez Brewster, six children; worked for Westinghouse Electric Corporation in Pittsburgh, Pa.; worked at Lawrence Radiation Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley during World War II; after the war, served in executive positions; m. 1969 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Doris Owens Kennedy; joined Brigham Young University in 1969, developing Information Retrieval System, serving as director of Educational Media Services, and diretor of budget and fiscal operations in the Harold B. Lee Library; 1980, served with wife as missionaries in England London Mission office; later served seven additional missions together; d. Aug. 24, 2004 in Provo, Utah)

Familysearch, via WWW, Nov. 20, 2020 (James Sterling Astin; baptised into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1922)

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints missionary database, via WWW, Nov. 20, 2020 (James Sterling Astin; served in British Mission, 1934-1936)

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