Albin Andrew "Skip" Sternen Jr.

Albin Andrew "Skip" Sternen Jr. passed peacefully at home on October 6, 2016 in Shaker Heights, Ohio at the age of 74. Skip is survived by his wife Sharon (Taddeo) and children; Stacy Martines, husband Andrew and son Santo; Hallie Sternen and sons Ralph and Albin Barone; Darci Sternen, husband David Hoots and children Riddley and Summerson Scout; and Albin Andrew "Drew" Sternen, III, wife Connie and son Bernari "Nari"; and sister, Carol (Sternen) Szoka. He is preceded in death by his parents, Albin Andrew Sternen and Dorothy Boticki Sternen. Skip was born on January 3, 1942 in Cleveland. He graduated from Mentor High School in 1960 and attended Ohio State University. Shortly after college, he joined the Army Reserves where he trained as a medic in Fort Knox, KY. After their marriage in 1963, Skip and Sharon moved from Cleveland to Lexington, KY where they lived for almost 5 years, and where he was a 32nd degree mason in the Robert M. Sirkle Lodge of Lexington, a membership he maintained for more than 50 years.After moving back to Cleveland in 1968, Skip established Sternen Sales and later co-founded Terra Inc., an importing company. Skip was an integral member of the Hiram House Board of trustees for more than 30 years.Skip had a natural curiosity about people, business, and the world. He was gregarious and never met a person with whom he could not strike up a conversation. He was a savvy international entrepreneur and loved to share his knowledge, guidance, and incredible work ethic with his children and to be a willing mentor to anyone starting a business and willing to learn. He was very practical and a handy master at fixing almost anything mechanical. He made sure that his children watched him make repairs around the house from a young age so they could be self-sufficient, successful adults. Skip will be remembered well for his playful sense of humor, such as telling his kids’ friends during breakfast after a sleepover, “You can just leave the tip on the dresser,” and waiting to see how long it took for them to get the joke. Skip took great pride in his family, children’s, and grandchildren’s achievements. A Celebration of Life service is scheduled for Saturday, October 29, 2016 from 11:30am-2:30pm at Hiram House Camp. All who knew Skip and his family are welcome to attend and celebrate Skip's life. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Hiram House Camp, 33775 Hiram Trail, Chagrin Falls, Ohio 44022 www.hiramhousecamp.org or Cleveland Clinic VeloSano Foundation, 9500 Euclid Ave. DVB-103, Cleveland, Ohio 44195 www.velosano.org. Family and friends can visit Skip’s Guest Book to share memories at http://www.dignitymemorial.com/dicicco-sons-funeral-homes . Skip’s family would like to thank all of the doctors and caregivers at the Cleveland Clinic and the Cleveland Clinic Hospice at Home for their dedicated care. Interment will be private.