John Sterchi
John Gates Sterchi, 69, of Ten Mile, Tennessee, passed away due to a tragic accident at his home on August 5, 2023.
He was born in Knoxville on Feb. 24, 1954, and attended Chilhowee Elementary School, Holston High School (Class of 1972), and the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, where he graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering in 1979. He worked many decades in the field of fire safety and protection and served as the Fire Marshal for TVA’s Watts Bar Nuclear Plant for the last 17 years of his 37-year career at that facility. He was the recipient of numerous awards and accolades throughout his career. He proudly worked with the brave men and women serving as local volunteer firefighters in training exercises throughout his career with TVA and considered many of those heroes his friends and comrades. Ironically, those brave men and women were instrumental in coming to John’s recovery following his tragic accident. John was well-known among his family and friends for his superior intelligence, corny jokes, his amazing gift of knowledge in practically any area and for being the go-to person for projects involving electricity, plumbing, carpentry, auto repair, appliance repair, and any other project that needed fixing. His motto was never replace anything that he could fix. Once you were John’s friend, you were always John’s friend. He was always willing to lend a helping hand with any project and he served his family, friends and community with humility, love and, of course, a corny joke or two. He was a lifelong member of Church Street United Methodist Church.
John was preceded in death by parents Charles F. Sterchi, Jr. and Frances Gates Sterchi.
He is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 37 years, Teresa Powell Sterchi; his brother and sister-in-law Charles and Karen Sterchi; his niece Emily Sterchi and her husband Vince Price; his nephew Charlie Sterchi and his girlfriend Alyssa Towns; his great-niece Anne Frances Price; and sister-in-law Cindy Powell Harmon and husband Brett, Traci Powell Wolfenbarger and husband Randy; nieces Heather Harmon, Hillary Harmon, Rachel Wolfenbarger Walling and husband Nathan; nephew Brandon Wolfenbarger; and a host of other relatives and friends.
Family will receive friends at Decatur Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 163 Arrants Ave., Decatur, Tn. on Thursday, Aug. 17, from 5–7 p.m. and will conclude with a memorial devotion.
A celebration of John’s extraordinary life will be held in Knoxville at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in John’s memory and honor to either: Decatur Fire Department, Meigs County Emergency Services, or Rhea County Emergency Services and mailed to: PO Box 605, Decatur, TN 37322.
Decatur Funeral Home & Cremation Services is honored to serve the Sterchi family.