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Obituary (VA): Sterling Edward Nair Jr. '62

Posted on 03/23/2018

Sterling E. Nair Jr., 80

Mar 11, 2018
Daily News-Record

Sterling Edward Nair Jr. died of heart failure at Sentara RMH Medical Center March 9, 2018. “Ed” Nair was born in Washington, D.C., in 1937. He was the son of Sterling Edward Nair (Sr.) from Broadway, Va., and Sarina Merando from Washington, D.C. Ed Nair spent part of his childhood at his grandfather, Charles Edward Nair’s farm and at his Aunt Nellie Crider’s house, both in Mayland. The time he spent there with his parents and extended family constituted some of his happiest childhood memories. His cousin, Polly Crider Wean of Timberville, was like a sister to him throughout his life.

Ed spent his later childhood years living with his parents and his mother’s Sicilian and Sicilian-American family in Washington, D.C. He was close to many of his family but often had to change schools. Upon graduation from college, he enlisted in the Navy and was chosen to attend the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., whose fraternity of classmates he stayed in touch with and most recently attended his 55th class of 1962 reunion.

While a student at the Naval Academy, Ed met and fell in love with a young German woman, Foelke (Foli) Hinrichs. They married, had two children (a son and daughter), and the four of them spent over 20 years exploring new parts of the world together. Some of their happiest times were spent in Pozzuoli, Italy, where Ed worked with NATO.

Ed and his wife, Foli, chose to retire to the Shenandoah Valley. The landscape, memories and history gave him great pleasure and peace. Ed enjoyed reading about his family history, which stretches back to the early 1700s in the Valley. He and Foli loved the mountains and built a home, where they have lived for the last 25 years.

He is survived by his wife, Foli; his son, Scott, and his daughter, Stella, who loved him fiercely and now feel lost without him. He is also survived by many cousins and their children, who meant the world to him, such as Shelby May and Mike and Delores Wean. Sterling Edward Nair will be buried with military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.

The family wishes to thank the caring and conscientious doctors who teated Ed Nair in his last days; Dr. Shafqat, Dr. Anderson and Dr. McDonald.