Paul Albert Stoerker
Paul Albert Stoerker passed peacefully into the presence of Jesus on Saturday March 8, 2025.
He was born in Pittsburgh, on Jan. 26, 1937. Paul spent his childhood growing up in Pittsburgh around caring parents, aunts, uncles, cousins and good friends. His love for being with people started early in life.
One of those people he would come to love was a cute girl named Janie Williams who he met in 10th grade. Their first date was a church hayride following a baseball game. He was never sure whether it was the hayride or his pitching that impressed her more. Whatever it was, it endured. That first date lasted 72 years. She was the love of his life.
They married a week after graduating from Penn State then lived, worked, and raised four children in Pittsburgh, where he balanced the many activities of his children with an accomplished professional life as a petroleum and natural gas engineer. He worked and served as a mentor throughout a fulfilling career at P.C. McKenzie Company, where his coworkers became like family as well. Paul and Jane would eventually retire to Chattanooga.
One of Paul’s passions was his great love of music. From those early beginnings of his high school shuffle shop jazz band to the Penn State Blue Band, to inspiring his four children and many grandchildren to pursue their own musical interests, music seemed to set a rhythm for his life. He also had a love for cars. That love grew exponentially in the ‘50s and culminated in the renovation of his pride and joy, a 1955 Ford Thunderbird. He will be remembered for his big smile, contagious laugh, and his love for his children and grandchildren. He will also be remembered for his love of dogs, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Penguins, for fishing and being on the water, for telling stories, and for Everything Bagels.
Paul had a knack for problem-solving and there was seemingly nothing he could not fix. He was a patient teacher, whether tutoring his children in the sciences and math, or teaching his grandsons how to work on cars and small engines. Before leaving for college, his daughters had to practice rotating their own tires in the driveway. His son wanted a sunroof in his 1977 Volkswagen Rabbit, so they cut a hole in the roof and installed glass that lasted for years. Even in his later years in Chattanooga, he was part of the “Geezer Squad” at North Shore Fellowship which allowed him to use his technical knowledge to help serve the needs of others.
His passion for life and people came from his soul. Above all else, he and Jane faithfully prayed for their children and grandchildren. He was clear about longing for his life to point to Jesus and desired for others to see Jesus for who scripture says He is, our creator, redeemer and friend. Paul longed to see Him. And now he is finally home, embraced as a beloved son.
Paul was preceded in death by his lifelong companion Jane, and by his parents, Paul and Grace Stoerker.
He is survived by his brother Karl Stoerker and his Ohana brother Emile Bareng, his three daughters, Susan Bigelow, Nancy Hicks (Glenn), Karen Smith (Tracy), and son Mark Stoerker (Susan.) He will forever be remembered by his 10 grandchildren, Brian (Amanda), Steve, Dan (Liuba), Wilson (Rebecca), Matthew, Thomas, Caroline (Noah), Catherine, Micah, and Brayden, and by their six great grandchildren.
The family is very thankful for the loving care shown to Jane and Paul by their friends at North Shore Fellowship, by the staff, therapists, and caregivers at Dominion Senior Living of Hixson, and by the dedicated team of caregivers during his final days at Solomon’s House.
A memorial service for Paul will be held at North Shore Fellowship in Chattanooga, 118 Woodland Ave., Chattanooga, Tn. 37405, on Saturday, March 15, at 1 p.m.
Arrangements are by the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory and Florist, 5401 Highway 153 Hixson, Tn. 37343.