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Colton, Sterling D., 1929-2019

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1929 - 2019

Biographical History

Sterling D. Colton (1929-2019) was a lawyer and hotel executive for the Marriott Corporation.

Sterling Don Colton was born on April 28, 1929, in Vernal, Utah to Hugh Wilkins Colton and Marguerite Maughan. He pursued studies in banking and finance at the University of Utah, and obtained a juris doctorate from Stanford University in 1953. The following year he married Eleanor Ricks, and they eventually had four children. Colton settled his family in Salt Lake City, Utah where he worked as a partner at Van Cott, Bagley, Cornwall & McCarthy between 1957 and 1966. He then took a position with the Marriott Corporation, where he led a successful career as a member of the general council and a vice president from 1966 to 1995. He had also served as a vice president of the Colton Ranch Corporation since 1987.

A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Colton served as president of the Church's Canada Vancouver Mission following his retirement, from 1995 to 1998. He then served as president of the Washington D.C. Temple from 1999 to 2002. He died on October 8, 2019, in Provo, Utah.

Citation:
Southern Virginia University WWW site, Nov. 26, 2013 (Sterling D. Colton; retired vice chairman, senior vice president, and general counsel for Marriott International, Inc., and affiliated companies; received bachelor's degree in banking and finance, University of Utah; law degree, Stanford University; previously served as president of both the Canada Vancouver Mission and the Washington D.C. Temple, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; m. Eleanor, four children).

Businessweek, via WWW, Nov. 26, 2013 (Sterling D. Colton; manager of J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation; director emeritus of Marriott International and Marriott Hotel Services).

LexisNexis, via WWW, Nov. 26, 2013 (Sterling D. Colton; Sterling Don Colton; b. Apr. 28, 1929 in Vernal, Utah; parents: Hugh Wilkins Colton and Marguerite Maughan; m. Aug. 6, 1954 to Eleanor Ricks, four children; retired lawyer, hotel executive; J.D., Stanford University, 1953; partner in Van Cott, Bagley, Cornwall & McCarthy, Salt Lake City, 1957-1966; executive and general counsel at Marriott Corp. and Marriott International, 1966-1995; vice president of Colton Ranch Corp., 1987- ; president of Canada Vancouver Mission, 1995-1998; president of Washington DC Temple, 1999-2002; member of Republican Party, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).

Deseret News obituary, via WWW, Jan. 2020 (died on October 8, 2019 in Provo, Utah).

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

Sterling D. Colton papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 9208
Scope and Contents Contains autobiographical writings of Sterling D. Colton and personal items pertaining to his education and early life with his wife, Ellie Ricks Colton. Included are writings by him and his wife regarding their time as mission presidents. Contains audio and video recordings of interviews with Sterling and Ellie Colton and interviews done with other members of the family, including Hugh Colton. Contains annual reports of the Marriott Corporation/Marriott International, Inc., dating between...
Dates: 1944-2017
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Sterling D. Colton papers

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